Our Bureau
Mumbai
Selectors are likely to remove Suryakumar Yadav from India T20I captaincy after IPL 2026. They plan to name Shreyas Iyer as the new leader for upcoming matches. This change comes as the board eyes the future ahead of the 2028 T20 World Cup and Los Angeles Olympics.
Sources say the decision-makers have lost patience with Suryakumar’s poor batting form. Since taking captaincy in July 2024, he scored only 932 runs in 45 T20I matches. His struggles worsened after the 2026 T20 World Cup win, where he made 242 runs in nine innings, including 84 against USA.
Suryakumar, now 35, also faces fitness issues with wrist pain. He played last IPL season with Mumbai Indians with a bandaged right wrist. Team sources note he avoided exercises that strain it and got taped by Dr. Rizwan Khan before nets. His win rate stands at 76.92 percent, with titles like Asia Cup and 2026 World Cup, but form and age hurt his case.
Shreyas Iyer leads the race due to strong IPL shows with three franchises. He could return to T20Is since his last game in December 2023 and captain the Ireland tour (two T20Is) and England series (five matches). Other names like Sam and Ish Kish are in mix, but Iyer is frontrunner.
India has a busy T20I calendar now. The shift will bring fresh energy to the team.
