Shreyas Iyer Emerges as Contender for India's White-Ball Captaincy
Shreyas Iyer's Leadership Journey
Shreyas Iyer, the captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), has reportedly entered the competition to become India's next captain for white-ball formats. This news follows his impressive leadership that led PBKS to their first Indian Premier League (IPL) final in over a decade, although they fell short against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Ahmedabad.
Despite the loss in the IPL 2025 final, Iyer's captaincy garnered significant praise from both cricket analysts and fans. Acquired for a staggering 26.75 crore, the 30-year-old transformed PBKS into a formidable title contender, finishing the league stage at the top of the table with 9 victories, 4 defeats, and one no result, accumulating a total of 19 points.
Iyer's innovative captaincy style, which included strategic field placements and timely bowling changes, along with his ability to motivate players under pressure, did not go unnoticed. Experts commended his tactical acumen and calm demeanor during tense moments.
A New Hope for India's White-Ball Team?
According to a source close to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Shreyas Iyer has officially entered the race for the white-ball captaincy. The source emphasized that he cannot be overlooked for both the Test and ODI squads.
Currently, Iyer is only participating in ODIs, but following his performance in the IPL, it is believed he should also be considered for T20 internationals and Tests. The BCCI source stated, "After this IPL, we can't keep him out of T20 internationals and even Tests. Plus, he has now officially joined the white-ball captaincy race."
🚨 SHREYAS IYER FOR INDIAN LEADERSHIP 🚨- Shreyas Iyer now officially joined India's white-ball captaincy race. [Express Sports] pic.twitter.com/KERuaglcMo
Test Squad Exclusion and Future Prospects
Despite a successful season with Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, where he scored 480 runs, including two centuries at an average of 68.57, Iyer has been left out of the India Test squad for the upcoming series against England. The BCCI chief selector indicated that while he does not fit into the current Test team, there may be opportunities for him in future series.
India currently has three different captains for the three formats of the game. Shubman Gill has been appointed as the Test captain, while Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma lead the T20I and ODI teams, respectively.
Rohit Sharma's ODI Future in Question
With Iyer stepping into the captaincy race for white-ball formats, speculation arises regarding Rohit Sharma's future as the ODI captain. After retiring from T20Is following the last World Cup and stepping down from Test captaincy, Rohit remains at the helm for ODIs and has expressed his ambition to lead India in the 2027 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
However, uncertainty looms over Rohit Sharma's position as ODI captain, as there are indications that he may be looking to mentor younger players like Shreyas Iyer for leadership roles in the upcoming World Cup cycle.
In addition to Iyer, Shubman Gill, currently the vice-captain, is also a contender for the white-ball captaincy. Following Iyer's successful turnaround of Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, he is likely to be included in the leadership group for India's white-ball setup, with strong consideration for the ODI captaincy as the team transitions into a new era post-Rohit Sharma.