What Happened The Last Time Shreyas Iyer Played A T20I For India Before Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Debut?

Shreyas Iyer [Source: AFP]

Shreyas Iyer is all set to begin a new chapter in his T20I career as he has been appointed the new T20I captain. 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has handed him the leadership role after removing Suryakumar Yadav from captaincy. Notably, the decision comes after Shreyas Iyer's excellent record as a captain in domestic cricket and Indian Premier League (IPL).

Since 2024, he has won 36 out of the 55 matches he has captained. Moreover, he guided Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to IPL 2024 championship. In addition, he also took Punjab Kings to IPL 2025 final.

Shreyas Iyer's T20I Career So Far

Talking about his International T20I career, Shreyas Iyer made his T20I debut for India against Australia in 2020. Since then, he has played 51 T20Is, smashing 1104 runs. Furthermore, Shreyas Iyer has maintained a strike rate of 136.13.

Although he has remained a regular member of India's ODI team, he has not been a part of T20I setup for quite some time.

So, when was the last time Shreyas Iyer played a T20I for India before Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s debut? The answer is during India's five-match T20I series against Australia in December 2023.

What Happened The Last Time Shreyas Iyer Played For India In T20Is?

It is important to note that his last T20I appearance came in the fifth and final match of IND vs AUS T20I series, which was played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 

Notably, Iyer scored 61 runs in 2 innings in the series with a strike rate of 138.64.

In his last T20I match, Iyer played a brilliant knock for India. After openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad gave the Men in Blue a good start, Jaiswal was dismissed for 21. Soon after, Iyer came to the crease at no 3 and played an attacking innings.

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Notably, the Mumbai batter scored 53 runs off 37 balls, including five fours and 2 sixes. As a result, he finished with a magnificent strike rate of 143.24.

Apart from Iyer's half-century, Axar Patel and Jitesh Sharma also made valuable contributions by scoring 31 runs each. Consequently, India posted a competitive total of 160/8 in their allocated 20 overs.

India Beat Australia By 6 Runs

In reply, Australia fought hard but failed to reach the target. Ben McDermott top-scored with 54 runs off 36 balls, while Travis Head added 28 runs off 18 balls. 

Nevertheless, the Indian bowlers held their nerve and restricted Australia to 154/8 in 20 overs. Therefore, India won the match by six runs and also sealed the series on a winning note.

Now, after nearly three years away from T20I cricket, Shreyas Iyer is ready to return to the shortest format. More importantly, he will return as India's captain, making his comeback even more special.

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