How Shreyas’ performance fuels his rise in India’s T20I leadership plans

Shreyas Iyer is one of the most striking names in cricket at the moment. The way he dominated the IPL has reignited calls from fans and pundits for his return to the Indian T20I squad. But this surge isn’t just based on one great season. Over the past few years, ever since accepting the call of captaincy, Iyer has not only shown his ability as a leader but also dominated the season as a batsman while balancing the dual role of pacemaker and attacker.In the 2020 IPL, he served as the captain of the Delhi Capitals. Under his leadership, the team reached the IPL final for the first time. Iyer also made a huge contribution with the bat that season, scoring 519 runs in 17 innings at a strike rate of 123.27. Soon after, when he became the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024, the team won its third title after 12 years under his leadership, where he contributed 351 runs in 15 games.In 2025 IPL, he was selected by Kings XI Punjab and the team reached the final for the first time in 11 years. That season was a career-defining season for Iyer as he showed his most explosive batting performance, amassing 604 runs in 17 games with a strike rate of 175.07.A common thread in his leadership is that he not only coaches his teammates, but also contributes himself, both on the field and with the bat, relieving pressure during tense games. Last year, in the second qualifier against Mumbai Indians, he single-handedly dominated the chase and even bowled Jasprit Bumrah, the best bowler in the world, for a six with complete authority.

form of struggle Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is the current T20I captain of India and overall he has had a very successful campaign. He led India to the 2026 T20 World Cup title and the 2025 Asia Cup title, and holds the record for the highest winning percentage as an Indian T20I captain (minimum 20 matches). In 52 matches as captain, he led India to 40 wins, 8 losses and 2 no results.However, concerns about his leadership center on his age and recent decline in batting form. He scored 242 runs in the five-match home series against New Zealand in early 2026, breaking Virat Kohli’s previous record of 231 runs. He completed 1,000 T20I runs as captain of the Indian team in the 2026 T20 World Cup with 84 (49) against the United States.But in ICC matches, his contribution with the bat was relatively limited. In the 2025 Asia Cup, he scored only 72 runs in 7 games, while in the 2026 T20 World Cup, he scored 242 runs in 9 innings. Although India won the World Cup, his strike rate of 136.72 was the lowest among Indian batsmen in the tournament, and he also struggled in the knockout stages, including losing the final against New Zealand.In IPL 2025, he scored 717 points in 16 games and became the MVP. However, in the ongoing IPL season, his figures have declined and he has scored only 121 runs in 6 games so far. He recently won the Golden Duck on April 16 against Kings XI Punjab, where he was dismissed by Arshdeep Singh, while against Gujarat Titans on Monday, he started well but was dismissed by the outright seeds from Kagiso Rabada for 15 runs.Going forward, the next major T20I event is the 2028 T20 World Cup, where India will defend the title, and the same year cricket will be part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Suryakumar Yadav will turn 38 by then. In addition to Iyer, there are also people like rajapatidaris fighting for mid-level opportunities, which means that SKY’s continued decline in form may put him under pressure in the next cycle.

Now, why does Shreyas Iyer fit into India’s leadership program?

Not only has Iyer won the title, but he has performed consistently across different formats, with different teams and players, making him the front-runner.However, Iyer will face stiff competition from other players in the T20 squad. Patidar led RCB to the title in his first season after a wait of 18 years and also impressed with his bat and leadership. Axar Patel, who served as India’s vice-captain, is also in the running for the leadership, despite his recent dip in form. Sanju Samson is a regular in the T20I squad and he is another strong contender who has played a key role in the big matches.What makes Ayer unique among them is his consistency over the years. As a leader, he consistently performed with the bat and got results. In the 2024-2026 season, Shreyas Iyer is widely appreciated by the cricketing fraternity for his tactical maturity and leadership resilience, especially after leading three different teams to the IPL finals.Experts recognize leadershipAnil Kumble: Calling him a “definitely underrated captain” highlighted the difficulty of changing a team and immediately leading them to the finals, a feat Iyer achieved in his debut season by leading PBKS to the 2025 finals.Ricky Ponting: The PBKS head coach said Iyer has “taken his game to another level” and called him a fully mature leader both personally and tactically.Brad Haddin: Praising him as a “game changer” who truly cares about his players, pointing to his unique record of taking three different teams (DC, KKR, PBKS) to the IPL finals.Recently, Ravichandran Ashwin highlighted how Shreyas Iyer’s sizzling form could provide impetus for his captaincy“The comfort that he creates around the team, is, we’re going to have brotherly conversations. There’s a brotherhood here. At the end of the day, with the teams I’ve played on, there’s always that layer where you just can’t do that… You just can’t go up to the captain or the coach and say, ‘I’m going to provide you with this.’ And that’s what happened.” In fact, he kept it simple, just like we do in your gully or at a tennis match in your hometown, we do it all the time with our captains or our friends. The atmosphere was so amazing. I think the way he is batting, he is growing into a leader role that players look up to and that is a lethal combination,” Ashwin said.Shreyas Iyer’s emergence as a batsman and captain has made him one of the top contenders for a comeback in India’s next T20I World Cup cycle and leadership plans. While Suryakumar Yadav remains the current leader, Iyer’s consistent performance, proven captaincy across teams and ability to handle pressure situations puts him in a strong position going forward.