Shreyas Iyer’s India Captaincy Faces Heavy Opposition From India Legend

Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma [Source: X.com]

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to announce a major change in India’s T20 leadership. According to reports, Shreyas Iyer is set to become India’s new T20I captain for the upcoming series against Ireland and England. 

The decision comes after a recent Apex Council meeting, where discussions were triggered by the inconsistent batting form of Suryakumar Yadav, even though he successfully led India to a T20 World Cup title defence in March 2026.

New Leadership Plan For India’s T20 Team

Under the new plan, Shreyas Iyer will not only lead the side but will also have young batter Tilak Varma as his deputy. The duo is expected to take charge starting with the Ireland series, followed by a challenging tour of England. 

A formal announcement is expected on Saturday after the selection committee meets in Mumbai.

It is important to note that the selectors have backed Shreyas Iyer mainly because of his strong and consistent performances, along with his proven leadership skills in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Over the years, he has developed a reputation as a calm and tactical captain.

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Shreyas Iyer Backed Due To Strong IPL Record

Notably, he famously led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the IPL title in 2024. In addition, he guided Delhi Capitals (DC) to the final in 2020 and Punjab Kings (PBKS) to another final in 2025. 

Meanwhile, his batting form has also been impressive, scoring 604 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 175.07 and 498 runs in IPL 2026 at a strike rate of 168.81.  

Because of this, the selectors believe Iyer has both the experience and the performance level needed to lead India at the international stage. 

Shreyas Iyer Captaincy Questioned By Ravichandara Ashwin

However, not everyone agrees with this decision. Former Indian cricketer Ravichandara Ashwin has openly questioned the move, especially the idea of replacing Suryakumar Yadav with Iyer. 

“Someone who wasn't even on the team, how can he do the captaincy? I read somewhere that Iyer will be the team's captain. I just want to ask how someone who wasn't even there in the T20 World Cup squad can make the captain now,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.

“I have a lot of time for Shreyas. When he wasn't picked, we talked about it for a long time. But this is also wrong. He cannot be made the captain straightaway. But anyway, the bigger point is that there should be stability,” he added.

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer’s last T20I appearance came in December 2023. He was later picked for a home series against New Zealand before the T20 World Cup 2026, but he did not get a chance to play.

Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy journey is expected to begin in Ireland with two T20Is in Belfast on June 26 and 28. Soon after, India will face England in a tough five-match T20I series from July 1 to 11. This will be a major test for the new leadership group.

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