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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Shreyas Iyer as the new Team India captain for the T20 International format, replacing the ICC T20I World Cup-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
Shreyas Iyer, who played his last T20I in December 2023, will be in charge of leading the team during the UK tour when India plays against Ireland and then England. Iyer will make his debut as the India captain during the 2-match T20I series against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28.
I obviously loved challenges: Shreyas Iyer
After being appointed as the leader of the national team, especially in the format where he had not played for a long time, Shreyas Iyer lacks confidence. The celebrated skipper in the Indian Premier League mentioned that he loves to take challenges as he grows in Mumbai, where the competition is huge. The challenging situations help Iyer to develop himself as a strong leader, whose only priority is to win games under any circumstances.
“I obviously loved challenges growing up, especially being from Mumbai, where cricket is pretty big, the competition is high, every other kid on the street wants to represent Mumbai, and I faced a lot of challenges growing up. So my mindset was always about winning against everyone that I challenge,” Iyer said in a PTI video.
“Whether it’s about learning or winning, that’s secondary but the more fun you have growing up, the more competitive nature you have, especially while playing cricket or any other sport in general, I think that takes you to another level and you want to take that sort of responsibility even when I have got this job right now or responsibility as a captain,” he added.
VIDEO | India T20I captain Shreyas Iyer said, "Being India captain is a great challenge, but I don't need to change my personality."
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 7, 2026
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/kk6vSJZnxn
I was before and not try to be someone else or be under someone’s shadow - Shreyas Iyer
He joins the team as the replacement for Suryakumar Yadav. The national team selectors not only snubbed Yadav from the leadership role but also excluded the batter from the team entirely because of his lack of form in recent times.
It will not be easy for Iyer to fill the shoes left by the former commander. It is going to be a great challenge for Shreyas Iyer, but to succeed with the new responsibility, the new India captain promises to maintain his personality and will not try to replicate someone else.
“It’s a great challenge (and) at the same time, I don’t have to change my personality. I have to be the same person I was before and not try to be someone else or be under someone’s shadow,” Iyer mentioned.
Back-to-back assignments for Iyer
The 31-year-old has so far played 51 T20Is for India, scoring 1104 runs in 47 innings for an average of 30.66 and a strike rate of 136.12. Currently, Shreyas Iyer has eight half-centuries under his belt in the shortest format of the game with the national cricket team.
Along with leading the team against Ireland and England, he will be in the front during the 2026 Asian Games in Japan as well.
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