Shreyas Iyer kicks aside Rohit Sharma to become India's Captain for 2027 ODI World Cup

Shreyas Iyer's performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has reportedly pushed him into serious contention for leadership roles in ODIs for the India national cricket team. According to The Indian Express, Iyer is now a contender in the white-ball captaincy race, especially in 50-over cricket.

Shreyas Iyer was left out of India’s Test and T20I squads. Notably, the right-handed batter was dropped from the BCCI central contract last year. He was also released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) despite captaining them to the 2024 IPL title. There were doubts over his fitness, form, and temperament.

Punjab Kings Reached IPL 2025 Final Under Shreyas Iyer

However, Shreyas Iyer delivered consistent performances in domestic cricket, captaining Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He joined Punjab Kings after being bought for ₹26.75 crore in the mega auction.

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Fans and teammates began calling him “Sarpanch Sahab” for his commanding presence. His standout moment came in the IPL 2025 Eliminator against Mumbai Indians (MI), where he launched a fearless counterattack against a fiery spell from Jasprit Bumrah.

The 30-year-old scored an unbeaten 87 off just 41 balls, guiding Punjab to a remarkable chase of 204 with an over to spare. However, Punjab Kings lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final, but Iyer firmly established his leadership credentials.

Shreyas Iyer to Replace Rohit Sharma as Team India’s ODI Skipper?

According to one of Indian cricket’s influential decision-makers, Iyer's performances have not only strengthened his case for a return to T20Is and Test cricket but have also pushed him into consideration for India's white-ball captaincy.

“Right now he just plays ODIs, but after this IPL we can’t keep him out of T20 internationals and even Tests. Plus he also has now officially joined the white-ball captaincy race,” the official told Indian Express, suggesting that Iyer’s impact this season has sparked a serious rethink within the national setup.

Punjab Kings have now gone 18 seasons without winning an IPL championship. This final marked their first playoff appearance since 2014. The loss also prevented Shreyas Iyer from becoming only the third captain, after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, to win back-to-back IPL titles.

Shreyas Iyer Enjoyed a Sensational IPL 2025 Campaign for PBKS Despite Final Letdown

Iyer had a standout IPL 2025 season with Punjab Kings. He scored a career-best 604 runs in 17 matches at an average of 50.33 and a striking rate of 175.07. Under his leadership, PBKS topped the league stage by winning nine of 14 games.

In the final held at Narendra Modi Stadium, RCB set a target of 191, with Virat Kohli (43) top scoring. Punjab’s top order struggled to build on their starts, and Iyer managed only 1 run from 2 balls.

Despite a strong late innings from Shashank Singh, who scored an unbeaten 61 off 30 balls, Punjab fell short by six runs. RCB clinched their first-ever IPL title, while Iyer’s team finished as runners-up.

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