Shreyas Iyer Declared 'One Of Main Contenders' For India T20I Captaincy Amid Suryakumar Yadav Uncertainty

Shreyas Iyer Declared 'One Of Main Contenders' For India T20I Captaincy Amid Suryakumar Yadav Uncertainty

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Last Updated: May 20, 2026, 13:39 IST

Ricky Ponting has backed Shreyas Iyer as a leading India captaincy contender.

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Shreyas Iyer last played a T20I in December 2023. (PTI Photo)

Amid reports that the Indian team management is reconsidering Suryakumar Yadav’s T20I captaincy due to his slump in form, Shreyas Iyer has emerged as a leading contender to succeed the World Cup-winning skipper. However, there are other names in contention too including Sanju Samson, Shubman Gill among others.

According to Australia legend Ricky Ponting, Iyer has strengthened his case to become India’s next T20I captain through his recent performances, both as a leader and with the bat.

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India are set to tour Ireland for a two-match T20I series in late June, followed by a five-match series against England. The squads for both tours will be selected next month.

“I think there are several contenders, but he’s (Shreyas Iyer) one of the main contenders as far as I’m concerned. I think we saw at the start of the tournament just how good a T20 player he is and where he’s at, both on and off the field right now," Ponting told news agency PTI.

Iyer, whose last T20I appearance was in December 2023, currently captains IPL franchise Punjab Kings, where Ponting serves as head coach. Last season, the duo guided the team to the IPL final – the team’s first appearance there since 2014.

In IPL 2024, Iyer also led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title.

Ponting believes Iyer has evolved into a more mature player and is currently at the peak of his career.

“I think he’s a much more mature player than he’s probably ever been in his whole career. I think he’s completely on top of his game now. He’s probably a good example of what I was talking about earlier; it’s really hard to maintain a high level of consistency through 14 games of cricket. There are going to be times when you have your ups and downs as an individual and as a team," he said.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll bounce back in this last game that we’ve got. If he stands up and makes a big score, then we’re a good chance of winning the game," he added.

PBKS made a strong start to IPL 2026 under Iyer, remaining unbeaten in their first seven matches. However, the team has since suffered six consecutive defeats, jeopardising their playoff chances. Incidentally, the slump has coincided with Iyer’s lean patch, with the batter managing just one fifty in his last six innings.

So far this season, Iyer has scored 397 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 162.70.

“I’ve been pretty vocal over the last couple of years that whenever India selects a team, and Shreyas is not in it, I’m always very surprised. On the back of this IPL, I’m sure he’s one name the selectors will talk about, not just to get back into the side, but also with the captaincy next to his name," Ponting said.

“The thing about Indian cricket is that you don’t just walk back into teams. You’ve got to put a lot of runs on the board and do it in a certain way. His season so far has been very impressive, and his captaincy has been excellent. I just think he’s in that little sweet spot in his life and career where, if captaincy came his way, then I think he’d make the most of it," he added.

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First Published: May 20, 2026, 13:39 IST

News cricket Shreyas Iyer Declared 'One Of Main Contenders' For India T20I Captaincy Amid Suryakumar Yadav Uncertainty

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