Shreyas Iyer Named New Captain of India’s T20 International Team
News Summary
- India is set to appoint Shreyas Iyer as the new captain of the T20 team for their upcoming tours of Ireland and England.
- Fifteen-year-old batsman Vaibhav Suryawanshi, who impressed in the IPL, is under consideration for his first selection in the national team.
- World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav may be excluded from the squad as India prepares to face Ireland in a T20 series starting June 26.
May 22, Kathmandu – India is preparing to change the captaincy of its T20 international squad ahead of the upcoming tours to Ireland and England.
According to Indian media outlet Cricinfo, Shreyas Iyer is likely to be appointed as the new captain of the T20I team, while 15-year-old batsman Vaibhav Suryawanshi is also in contention to make his debut for the national side.
India is in the process of building a team with a focus on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2028 T20 World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand. This upcoming T20 series will mark India’s first international T20 series since winning the 2026 World Cup.
There is a possibility that World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav may be left out of the squad. The 35-year-old scored 242 runs in 9 innings during the World Cup, but managed only 270 runs from 13 IPL matches in 2026.
Iyer has shown impressive performances in recent years as both captain and batsman. He led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and also guided Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to the finals.
Shreyas, who was signed by Punjab in 2025 and appointed captain, took the team to the final in his first season. Despite remaining unbeaten in the initial 7 games, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs that season. He scored 604 runs in IPL 2025 and 498 runs in IPL 2026 at a strike rate close to 169.
The most buzz surrounds the potential selection of 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryawanshi, who caused a sensation in IPL 2026 by scoring 776 runs with an explosive strike rate of 237.30. If selected, he will become one of the youngest players to represent India’s men’s national team since Sachin Tendulkar.
Before joining the senior national team, Suryawanshi is scheduled to participate in the tri-nation series in Sri Lanka, representing India A alongside Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
India will play two T20 matches against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28, followed by a five-match T20 series against England from July 1 to 11.