It’s official now: Shreyas Iyer is the new T20I captain of the Indian cricket team. Not only has Suryakumar Yadav been sacked, but the 2026 T20 World Cup-winning skipper has been dropped altogether from India’s shortest format.
On Saturday, the BCCI announced squads for India’s T20I tour of Ireland and the Asian Games 2026.
Suryakumar joined Daren Sammy as the only two captains to have been dropped from their respective teams just after leading their nation to a T20 World Cup; Sammy was axed in 2016 amid a row with the West Indies board.
With Suryakumar, it is his dismal form that has cost him his place in India’s T20I side, despite marching the Men In Blue to the T20 World Cup title in March.
Suryakumar had scored 242 runs in nine innings at the T20 World Cup 2026, and the final nail in the coffin was his underwhelming returns in the IPL 2026: 270 runs in 13 innings at an average of 20 and a strike rate of 147.
On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer had made a compelling case even before the T20 World Cup but couldn’t get a place in the squad.
Shreyas Iyer is well-deserving: Ajit Agarkar
Shreyas Iyer has forced himself into the squad through terrific IPL performances with the bat in the last three seasons and has been appointed the captain following his success as a skipper in the IPL. Iyer has led Delhi Capitals to a runners-up position in 2020, KKR to the IPL title in 2024, and Punjab Kings to the runners-up spot in 2025.
He racked up 604 runs at a strike rate of 175 in last year’s IPL and backed it up with 498 runs at a strike rate of 168 in the most recent season.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained this huge call in the press conference. Agarkar said,
“With regards to Shreyas, see what he’s done in the last few years, leading different franchises. Led a team to a title, his own performances have been good. Was close to being part of the WC squad; in my opinion, was a standout candidate.”
Agarkar pointed out that Suryakumar’s form and age (35) aren’t on his side as the team looks forward to the 2028 T20 World Cup and Olympics and hailed Iyer as a deserving candidate for a place in the side and captaincy.
“With regards to SKY, it was a tough one. Partly his own form and also looking at the next two-year cycle, we thought this was the best way forward. Shreyas is well-deserving,” Agarkar explained.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets maiden India call-up, Hardik rested
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been given his maiden T20I call-up following an epic IPL season, where he blasted 776 runs at a strike rate of 237, earning the Orange Cap and Player of the Tournament award.
Hardik has been rested from T20Is against Ireland, England, and the Asian Games but will feature in the ODIs against England. Bumrah has been named in the Asian Games squad. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prince Yadav are part of the T20I squads for the UK tour.
Tilak Varma has been named the T20I vice-captain, replacing Axar Patel from this designation.
India are slated to play two T20Is against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28. They will then take on England in a five-match T20I series and a three-ODI rubber. Further, the Asian Games men’s cricket competition, which will be a 10-team event in Japan, will kick off on September 24.
India squad for T20I series against England and Ireland:
Shreyas Iyer (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Prince Yadav, Washington Sundar, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
India squad for Asian Games 2026:
Shreyas Iyer (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah
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