Shubman Gill kicked aside as Shreyas Iyer backed to replace Rohit Sharma as India captain by Robin Uthappa

Former Indian batter-turned-commentator Robin Uthappa has praised Shreyas Iyer for his exceptional captaincy in the recently concluded IPL 2024 after he led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a title triumph in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai.

Iyer missed the last season due to a back issue, but he made a winning return to the KKR side studded with a star-studded coaching staff and delivered an outstanding performance as the captain. His leadership has become a significant talking point after KKR ended a decade-long wait for the IPL trophy.

However, the right-handed batter could manage only 351 runs in 14 group-stage matches this season. Well, after the IPL 2024 Final, former KKR batter Uthappa fueled the debate by suggesting that Iyer could be a strong candidate for the future captaincy of the Indian cricket team.

Shreyas Iyer could outpace Shubman Gill for future India captaincy: Robin Uthappa

He also believes that the KKR captain is ahead of other contenders like Shubman Gill for India’s captaincy in the future. Iyer's strategic acumen and inspirational leadership have been widely recognized as key factors in KKR's success this season.

Under his guidance, KKR showed remarkable consistency throughout IPL 2024, dominating the points table in the league phase and eventually winning the trophy. KKR’s title triumph adds to Iyer's impressive record as a captain, having previously led the Delhi Capitals (DC) to the IPL 2020 Final, where they lost the cup to the Mumbai Indians (MI).

Well, the Indian middle-order batter’s ability to manage big personalities like mentor Gautam Gambhir and head coach Chandrakant Pundit within the KKR's coaching staff, combined with his on-field decision-making and motivational skills, has impressed many, including Uthappa.

The commentator was really impressed with Iyer's resilience, as he faced different challenges, including injuries and missing out on a BCCI central contract. Uthappa suggested that Iyer's journey and IPL success mark the beginning of his promising leadership career, as he has a great ability to navigate through a difficult period.

Robin Uthappa hails Shreyas Iyer's exceptional captaincy and strategic acumen in IPL 2024

Robin Uthappa said on Star Sports after the IPL 2024 Final: “Shreyas Iyer can become the India captain and pip the likes of Shubman Gill. He has shown commendable qualities. There were very strong personalities in that dressing room, and he still navigated the whole season while learning things along the way. That is not easy to do while performing and giving your best on the field. He also made the right decisions and calls on the field, which he did with utter dominance. So that tells you a lot about his character and what he believes he is capable of.

Because of that, he sets himself up in the right position and places himself in the conversation of being the next Indian captain. Even after everything he went through—the World Cup, back injuries, not getting the central contract—amidst conjectures, he has barely spoken about it. That shows he has his sights clear. We will see that this is the beginning of the leader that he is.”