Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya Out As Virat Kohli's Trusted Man Announces India's New T20 Captain

Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer [Source: AFP]

As India looks forward to the T20 World Cup 2028 after a 2026 title win at home, former India head coach and a close acquaintance of Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri, believes that Sanju Samson is now a solid successor to Suryakumar Yadav to lead the Men in Blue.

While multiple candidates came up in speculation, namely Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, among others, the next Indian T20 captain was expected to be Samson, who was named the Player of the Tournament after India's T20 World Cup title win at home.

Samson and His Heroics With The Bat In T20 Cricket

Sanju Samson was one of the orchestrators of the thrilling India vs West Indies win at Eden Gardens, which helped the Men in Blue reach the semi-final.

In the tournament, Samson scored 321 runs from his five appearances while averaging the highest at 80.25 and boasting a solid strike rate of 199.37.

Although the highest run-getter of the tournament was Sahibzada Farhan, Samson ranked third, and it was his consistency alongside his striking ability that made him the Player of the Tournament.

Ravi Shastri Backs Sanju Samson As India’s Next T20 Captain

While speaking on the ICC Review, Ravi Shastri hinted at the possibility of India looking for a new captain depending on Suryakumar Yadav's performance in the upcoming future.

While speaking of solid captaincy candidates on the spot, Shastri put Sanju Samson at the forefront, who is currently leading the batting charge for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026.

“India, come the next (T20) World Cup (in 2028), might be looking for a new captain, depending on how Surya goes over the next couple of years. But Sanju Samson has put himself there for a leadership role because he's done that in the past for Rajasthan (Royals),” Shastri said, speaking to Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review.

Speaking of his ability to be destructive from the very start, Ravi Shastri thinks he is someone who can lead with the bat and guide the team as well over the next two or three years.

“And he's a certainty in the side, at the top of the order, extremely destructive. So I see him, this is just the start of something more you'll see from Sanju over the next two or three years,” Shastri added.

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Ravi Shastri Shares Final Verdict On Samson’s India Captaincy

Although there have been some consistency issues with Sanju Samson, both in the T20 World Cup 2026 and the IPL 2026, Ravi Shastri erased the issue, neglecting that it is not important to linger on.

“I think he (Samson) has put a lid on all those question marks. There was always ability. People would, in fact, be disappointed because he wouldn't do justice to that ability," Shastri noted.

“But my word this season, the way he's played after his performance in the T20 World Cup where single-handedly he almost won India games, the big games, the quarter-finals (West Indies, Super 8), semi-finals, the final, and the way he stepped up and the maturity he's showing now in the IPL, makes him a clear case as far as I'm concerned for leadership in the future,” Shastri concluded.

For the unaware, in the World Cup, Samson had meagre scores of 22 and 24 in his first two appearances before slamming a 50-ball 97 against West Indies. In the IPL too, Sanju Samson started off with single-digit scores until his fourth match against Delhi Capitals on April 11, where he slammed a 56-ball 115 to regain his mojo.

Currently, he boasts an average of 53 and a strike rate of 169.29 and is going strong to contribute to his team at the top.

Why Shreyas Iyer And Hardik Pandya are Unlikely?

Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya are facing significant challenges in becoming India's next T20 captain, largely due to disciplinary, form, fitness, and injury-related issues.

While Shreyas Iyer is facing obstacles due to a lack of recent national selection and missing a BCCI contract, Hardik Pandya's case has long been marred by chronic injury issues and recent struggles in form.

While Shreyas Iyer is somewhat considered for the next ODI captaincy, Hardik Pandya's appearance in the scene is very much unlikely as a captain in either of the white-ball formats.

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