Shreyas Iyer could become India's new T20I captain [Source: AFP]
Experienced Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer has grabbed the limelight for his fearless batting and bold captaincy.
He has led Punjab Kings with great success, as the 2025 edition runners-up are cruising towards the IPL 2026 playoffs.
The Shreyas Iyer captaincy record is impressive, as the Kings have won six of their first ten matches, looking well poised to enter the knockout stage.
Amid his IPL 2026 heroics, Shreyas Iyer has been reported to succeed Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain.
Shreyas Iyer is frontrunner to lead India in T20Is after Suryakumar Yadav
Swashbuckling batter Suryakumar Yadav replaced Rohit Sharma as the T20I captain following the latter's retirement from the format.
Despite blowing hot and cold with the bat, Suryakumar enjoyed stellar success as the Indian T20I skipper, leading the team to 40 victories across 52 matches.
He eventually became the third Indian captain after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to clinch the coveted T20 World Cup trophy.
Under his leadership, the Men in Blue showcased remarkable skill and resilience to defeat New Zealand in a high-voltage final in Ahmedabad, bagging their third T20 World Cup title.
However, Suryakumar Yadav is on the wrong side of 30 and has been struggling with poor form for quite a while now.
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Considering he'll be almost 38 years old by the next T20 World Cup edition, Suryakumar isn't believed to be in the scheme of things.
Therefore, given that his career has been marred by poor form and a persistent wrist injury, Suryakumar Yadav could be replaced as the Indian T20I captain after the IPL 2026.
According to the Times of India, Shreyas Iyer will likely replace Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of the side, as the they begin preparations for the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Shreyas Iyer captaincy record: How has India's potential T20 captain performed?
| Criterion | Data |
| Matches | 110 |
| Wins | 65 |
| Losses | 40 |
| Tied/NR | 2/3 |
| Win % | 59.09 |
(Shreyas Iyer captaincy record in T20 cricket, including IPL)
The Shreyas Iyer captaincy record suggests that the Mumbai batter has led across 97 IPL matches.
He has captained three different franchises- Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings. Iyer has registered 54 wins in 97 IPL matches, recording an impressive win percentage of 55.67.
Additionally, Shreyas Iyer has led Mumbai across 13 T20 matches, winning 11 of them. Thus, the Shreyas Iyer captaincy record suggests that the 31-year-old has a healthy win percentage of 59.09 in the shortest format.
Shreyas Iyer's remarkable achievements as T20 captain
The Shreyas Iyer captaincy record for Delhi Capitals suggests that he is one of the three players to record a win percentage higher than 50 (among captains who have led DC in at least 10 IPL matches).
Under his leadership, the Capitals entered the final of the competition for the first time in the 2020 season. Iyer was appointed as the KKR captain ahead of the 2022 IPL season. He led the franchise to their third title in the IPL 2024.
After being released by KKR, Shreyas Iyer joined Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 auction. The Mumbaikar guided PBKS to an IPL final for the first time in 11 years, showing commendable leadership acumen.
Shreyas Iyer's qualities that make him a potential Team India captain
The Shreyas Iyer captaincy record could undoubtedly tempt the BCCI to hand him the reins ahead of the next T20 World Cup edition.
Iyer has also been a prolific performer with the bat in his own captaincy. He has amassed 2937 runs at an average of 37.57 and a strike rate of 140.1 as a captain in the IPL.
This shows that he can lead from the front and set a benchmark of excellence for his teammates.
Additionally, Iyer is an IPL-winning captain for KKR, having also led DC and PBKS to playoffs in the tournament.
His astounding success over a significant period, as well as his ability to hold his nerves and thrive under crunch situations, make him a great candidate for the Team India captaincy in T20Is.
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