Shreyas Iyer. Image Credits: AFP/XShreyas Iyer has made a huge claim to Indian captaincy. He stated that he was expecting to become the next India captain, and it wasn’t a surprise when he was appointed India’s new T20I captain.Shreyas Iyer succeeded Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain, as the Mumbaikar led India from 2024 to 2026, winning the Asia Cup in 2025 and the ICC T20 World Cup in 2026. Notable, India didn’t lose a single bilateral series under Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy, who enjoyed a brilliant run as leader of the pack.Why was Suryakumar Yadav removed from India's captaincy?The main reason behind Suryakumar Yadav’s exit from the Indian team and his removal as the T20I captain was his batting form. Ever since he became the full-time India captain, Suryakumar Yadav failed to score a single hundred and couldn’t even make 1000 runs in the format.Then he had a very poor IPL 2026 as well, where he made only 270 runs in 13 games, with a strike rate of 147.54 with just two fifties to his name. From November 2024 to December 2025, Suryakumar Yadav made only 244 runs in 22 T20Is with a strike rate of 117.87, and even in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 win, he managed only one fifty, against the USA.Also Read: Shreyas Iyer Refuses To Guarantee Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Debut In IND vs ENGShreyas Iyer named new India T20I captainThere were many candidates for the India T20I captaincy, but the BCCI selectors gave the job to senior batter and India ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer. This was announced when India’s squad for the T20I series against Ireland and England was announced.Iyer was chosen given his excellent record as captain in the Indian Premier League. He is the only captain in the IPL to take three different franchises to the IPL final. He led the Delhi Capitals to the IPL 2020 final; the Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 final and won the trophy; and then led the Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final.“It wasn’t outlandish. I was expecting it. Because I’ve done brilliant in previous IPLs and whenever I’ve represented the country. So it didn’t come as a surprise,” Shreyas Iyer revealed when asked about becoming India’s captain in T20Is, ahead of the first T20I against England.Fans show him reality after Iyer becomes the first Indian captain to lose a T20I series to IrelandMany expected Shreyas Iyer to start his India captaincy tenure with a win over Ireland, but the Men in Blue suffered a huge shock. Ireland blanked India 0-2 to win the series and even outplayed them in all departments. Iyer’s own form was poor in the series, and his captaincy came into question by experts and fans alike. And after his recent statement, Iyer was targeted on social media as well, who gave the India captain a reality check.Here are some reactions:Prince_gt @hardy0294 @NikhilNaz Must have done well in nets of international cricket 👀😁 Jul 1, 2026, 2:09 PM Varun Giri @Varungiri0 @NikhilNaz Rajat patidar.... Kyu kisi ko wafa ke Badle🎶 Jul 1, 2026, 2:04 PM Harish @h_boob1 @NikhilNaz Yesterday press conf of Shreyas was disastrous, he needs a media manager Sushant Sinha @SushantBSinha अगर श्रेयस अय्यर के हिसाब से उसे IPL का परफॉरमेंस देखकर कैप्टन बनाया जा सकता है तो फिर IPL के ऑरेंज कैप होल्डर सूर्यवंशी को क्यों टीम में नहीं खेलाया जा सकता? वहां लॉजिक वर्ल्ड कप परफॉरमेंस का है तो कैप्टन भी WC टीम में से किसी को बनाओ।वहाँ इनकी पैराशूट लैंडिंग क्यों? गजबे है Mayank 🇦🇷 @Cules651 Obsessed toh hai bhot khud se. Sneहाहाहा @__Sn_e_ha__ he’s sounding too arrogant for an indian skip. this could only work if you’ve got the runs on your back to justify it, much like virat had (tho he still had to face his share of backlash) otherwise it’s a recipe for disaster. media and fans gonna rip him apart. Daitayan Banerjee @cricdanny @NikhilNaz Gaya ab Shreyas..khatam hai...bits n pieces perform karega ...Gill ko banao captain after ODI WC Mudit 🇮🇳 @MuditHastir @NikhilNaz Typical South Bombay Attitude Aadi. @gillqaeda Everything they accused gill of idli is exactly that 😹😹 Kumar Manish @kumarmanish9 Hope Shreyas backs this with his performance otherwise social media is brutal. Cricketopia @CricketopiaCom Shreyas Iyer’s last 15 innings for India in T20 10, 3, 53, 8, 0, 13, 1, 64, 24, 10, 0, 28, 0*, 4, 14 232 runs, 16.57 average, 121.4 strike rate Absolutely brilliant Shreyas Iyer will have the chance to redeem himself as he leads India in a five-T20I series against England. This series begins with the first match to be played in Chester-le-Street on July 1.Also Read: Ishan Kishan Dethrones Abhishek Sharma To Become No 1 T20I Batter
