The T20I captaincy of India has taken a fresh turn as Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the leader of the Indian team, stepping into the shoes of Suryakumar Yadav in preparation for matches against Ireland and England, and the upcoming Asian Games in 2026. Although this captaincy swap raised quite a stir, Suryakumar responded gracefully despite feeling disappointed at being stripped of his position. The outgoing captain came forward to endorse his teammate from Mumbai and warmly received the news about his appointment. Speaking shortly after the announcement, Suryakumar made it clear that he was pleased to see Iyer earn the role.
Suryakumar expressed his warm-regards for the new T20I Captain Shreyas Iyer, as he said, “As you said, so many things are happening, but obviously, I am very, very, very happy for Shreyas as he’s getting to lead the Indian T20 team. We have played a lot of cricket together in Bombay.”
The leadership switch came despite Suryakumar guiding India to the T20 World Cup title earlier this year. However, selectors opted for a new direction for the next World Cup cycle, with chief selector Ajit Agarkar highlighting Iyer’s leadership record and consistent performances. The move also saw Suryakumar lose his place in the T20I squad.
Also Read | India-Afghanistan Test: Why It Doesn’t Count in WTC 2025-27
Suryakumar Yadav Extends Support to Shreyas Iyer and India’s Next Generation
Suryakumar Yadav’s first reaction after Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy appointment
Hours later, both Suryakumar and Iyer ran into each other at a match of the T20 Mumbai League, where they shared a loving hug before starting the game. At that time, Suryakumar was captaining Triumph Knights MNE, and Iyer was in the SoBo Mumbai Falcons set up. Rather than getting into any drama about his choice, Suryakumar made sure that he highlighted the importance of the role played by Mumbai cricket in shaping up the national team. It is obvious from his statement how close Suryakumar and Iyer were as he had spent many years playing for Mumbai and the national team. Notably, Suryakumar, Rohit Sharma and now Iyer have become three successive Mumbai captains to lead India in T20Is.
Suryakumar reminds us about the Mumbai Captain connection, as he said, “The most important thing, in my opinion, is that three back-to-back Mumbai captains are going to lead India in T20Is. I think it’s a very proud moment, and everyone needs to celebrate that.”
Suryakumar Yadav also congratulates Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after BCCI selection
Soon after the squad announcement, Suryakumar extended his support to the Indian team through social media. He shared the official squad graphic and wished the players success in the challenges ahead. The 35-year-old also singled out teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who received his maiden India call-up after a remarkable IPL 2026 season in which he scored 776 runs and finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer. Suryakumar’s message reflected encouragement for both established and emerging players.
His posts read: “Wishing this highly skilled group all the best for challenges ahead.. You have earned it and how. Super excited to follow your journey.”
India’s T20I squad for Ireland and England
Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav
India’s Asian Games 2026 squad
Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
