India's newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer said his elevation to the leadership role did not come as a surprise, as he believed his performances and captaincy record had put him in contention for the job. Iyer succeeded World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, who was left out of the squad entirely following IPL 2026.
Although Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma were also considered for the role, the selectors opted for Iyer, handing him the captaincy for India's tour of the UK, which includes two T20Is against Ireland and a five-match series against England. He has also been named captain of India's men's team for the upcoming Asian Games.
Despite having been largely absent from India's T20I setup for nearly three years before a brief return ahead of the World Cup, Iyer said he had anticipated the opportunity.
Speaking to BCCI.TV, Iyer said he did not view the appointment as unexpected, pointing to his strong IPL performances and contributions whenever he represented India. He added that leading the national side was a valuable opportunity to learn from members of the World Cup-winning squad, the coaching staff, and experienced players around him.
Iyer's leadership credentials have grown significantly in recent years. He guided Punjab Kings to their first IPL final in over a decade in 2025 alongside head coach Ricky Ponting. Although Punjab's IPL 2026 campaign faded after a strong start, Iyer maintained impressive personal form, scoring 992 runs across the last two seasons at a strike rate exceeding 145. Earlier, he had also led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024, becoming the first captain to take two different franchises to IPL finals.
Even when opportunities in T20 internationals were limited, Iyer remained a regular in India's ODI side and continued to perform consistently in domestic cricket.
Reflecting on his journey, Iyer said that representing India had always been a childhood dream and captaining the national team made the achievement even more special. He described the role as a reward for years of hard work and acknowledged the support of his family, friends and fans.
However, his tenure as T20I captain has begun on a difficult note. India suffered a 0-2 series defeat to Ireland, marking the country's first-ever bilateral T20I series loss to Ireland and their first T20I series defeat in more than three years.
Despite the setback, Iyer remains optimistic. He described himself as relentless, determined and driven, saying he welcomes challenges and performs best under pressure. Looking ahead to the five-match series against England, beginning in Durham, he said he intends to embrace the challenges that come with leading the team and use them as motivation to improve results.
