The comeback nobody could ignore: Why Shreyas Iyer is India’s new T20I captain

How long can you keep a proven performer out of the national set-up? Not for long, ideally.

Yet, for Shreyas Iyer, the road back to India’s T20I side proved far longer than many expected.

The last time he featured in a T20I was at the end of 2023. Back then, India was still searching for an elusive ICC trophy, Rohit Sharma was captain and the white-ball set-up looked very different.

A disciplinary issue subsequently pushed Shreyas out of the selectors’ immediate plans, particularly in the shortest format, and for a while it seemed as though the door had quietly shut.

The game, however, moved on.

India ended its ICC title drought, won back-to-back T20 World Cups and ushered in a new leadership era under Suryakumar Yadav. Through all those changes, Shreyas remained on the outside, looking in.

What he never stopped doing, though, was performing.

In 2024, he led Kolkata Knight Riders to the Indian Premier League (IPL) title, answering many of the questions around his leadership credentials. A year later, after moving to Punjab Kings, he helped transform a side that had long struggled for consistency into a genuine contender. He amassed 604 runs in IPL 2025 and followed it up with another productive season this year, scoring 498 runs even as Punjab’s campaign faded after a promising start.

With every season, his case grew stronger. Every run, every innings under pressure, and every tactical call as captain added to an increasingly compelling body of work.

Eventually, it became too difficult to ignore.

At the same time, Suryakumar’s struggles with the bat continued.

One of the most destructive T20 batters of his generation endured a prolonged lean patch. While his leadership was rarely under scrutiny, his returns with the bat became a growing concern. IPL 2026 only amplified those worries. Despite finishing with a half-century against Rajasthan Royals, the Mumbai Indians batter managed just 270 runs in 13 innings at an average of 20.76 — numbers well below the standards he had set for himself.

That left the selectors with a difficult decision.

Changing a captain is never straightforward, particularly one who led the side through a successful phase. But with an eye on the future and a desire to reward sustained performances, the selection committee opted for a change, handing the captaincy to Shreyas and opening a new chapter in India’s T20I journey.

“With regards to Shreyas, we have seen what he has done over the last few years — leading different franchises, won finals once and probably had a tougher season this year after a great start. So, we have seen everything that a captain possibly can (go through). His own performances have been really good,” selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar said.

Agarkar also revealed that Shreyas had come close to making the T20 World Cup squad earlier this year.

“But with Surya still there, there was no room for him. He is, in my opinion, a standout candidate with enough experience now, having played in the T20 format,” Agarkar added.

The captaincy, though, brings a fresh set of challenges.

While much of the core group remains intact, Shreyas will have to re-establish himself within a set-up that has evolved considerably during his absence. Building a strong working relationship with head coach Gautam Gambhir and aligning on a long-term vision for the side will be just as important as results on the field.

For a player who has spent the last few years leading franchise teams and navigating high-pressure situations, that adjustment should not be insurmountable. Yet, international captaincy brings a different level of scrutiny, and it will be fascinating to see how he handles the role when the pressure inevitably arrives.

With the Los Angeles Olympics and the next T20 World Cup on the horizon, the selectors have made it clear that they are planning for the future. In Shreyas, they believe they have a captain capable of taking that journey forward.

The responsibility now is to continue doing what got him here in the first place — scoring runs, winning games and leading from the front.

For now, though, this is more than just a comeback. It is recognition for a body of work that became impossible to overlook. And a reminder that in Indian cricket, performances still have a way of bringing you back into the conversation.

Published on Jun 06, 2026