Selectors sack Suryakumar Yadav, appoint Shreyas Iyer as India's new T20I captain

In a stunning move, the Ajit Agarkar‑led All India Senior Men’s Selection Committee has sacked Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain, just days after he led the team to glory at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The decision draws parallels with Cricket West Indies in 2016, when they removed their World Cup‑winning captain Daren Sammy only months after clinching the title in India, handing the reins to Carlos Brathwaite, who had played just eight T20Is at the time.

End of an Illustrious Captaincy Tenure

Fondly known as Sky, Suryakumar Yadav leaves behind an exceptional record as captain:

• Captained India in 50 T20Is.

• Won 42 matches, lost only 8, with 2 no‑results.

• Led India to an undefeated T20 World Cup triumph in 2026, making India the first team to: Defend the T20 World Cup title, win it on home soil, and clinch the trophy three times overall.

• Also guided India to the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), defeating Pakistan in the final.

This record cements his tenure as one of the most successful in India’s T20I history.

Shreyas Iyer named India's new T20I captain

Selectors have turned to Shreyas Iyer, who not only returns to India’s T20I setup but also takes over the captaincy mantle. His appointment is seen as a reward for consistent leadership in domestic and franchise cricket.

Presenting #TeamIndia's newest T20I captain 🇮🇳

Congratulations to Shreyas Iyer as he takes the helm in the shortest format of the game 👏@ShreyasIyer15 pic.twitter.com/frfAXAOkTA

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 6, 2026

• In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Shreyas led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title.

• In IPL 2020, he captained Delhi Capitals (DC) to the final, where they lost to Mumbai Indians (MI).

• In IPL 2025, he guided Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the final, narrowly losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by just six runs.

• Shreyas also captained Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2024

Shreyas’ track record of reviving underachieving sides and steering them to finals has clearly impressed the selectors, who now entrust him with leading India’s next T20I chapter.

Suryakumar’s removal marks the end of a glittering captaincy era, while Shreyas' elevation signals a new phase for India’s T20I side. The decision may appear ruthless, but it underscores the selectors’ intent to refresh leadership and build towards the future.

India's squad for T20I series against Ireland and England

Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav.

India's squad for the Asian Games 2026

Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.