With batting legend Rohit Sharma already retiring from T20Is and Tests, talk has grown that Shreyas Iyer could be the frontrunner to succeed him in the 50-over format. However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia dismissed these stories as rumours.
Shreyas Iyer, who has led two separate IPL franchises to successive finals, is widely regarded as a bright and composed player with the proper temperament to lead India. His batting performances, especially a prolific run in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where he was India’s leading run-scorer, have helped his case.
With Rohit at 38 and reaching the end of his international career, the issue around succession has grown. Young opener Shubman Gill, like Iyer, has been regarded as a future leader. Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia recently broke his silence on the rumours. “That is news to me. “There have been no such discussions,” Saikia told the Hindustan Times.
Interestingly, despite speculation that Iyer could be a prospective ODI captain, he was not named to India’s 15-man roster for the forthcoming Asia Cup in 2025. His absence, despite a successful IPL season in which he scored over 600 runs and guided Punjab Kings to the final, has sparked much outrage from fans and analysts alike.
I don’t know what else Shreyas has to do: Santosh Shreyas Iyer
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, which announced the squad alongside T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, faced backlash for leaving Iyer out, even from the reserves list. The cricketer’s father, Santosh Iyer, also expressed disappointment at his son not getting selected for the marquee event.
“I don’t know what else Shreyas has to do to make it to the Indian T20 team. He has been performing so well in the IPL year after year, from Delhi Capitals to Kolkata Knight Riders to Punjab Kings, and that too as a captain. He even captained KKR to the IPL title in 2024 and led PBKS to the final this year,” Santosh told Times of India.
Furthermore, the BCCI has confirmed upcoming changes in the senior selection panel. The board has invited fresh applications to replace two members of the current five-man team, while Agarkar continues as chairman until the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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