After a stellar season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Shreyas Iyer has joined the race to become Team India’s next white ball captain. The 30-year-old became the first captain in IPL history to lead three different franchises to the finals. Out of which, he led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to claim their third title last year.
Even though Punjab Kings (PBKS) didn’t lift the IPL trophy this season, Iyer led his team to the tournament’s finals after 11 years. In other words, the Punjab-based franchise that struggled for years to secure a playoff berth succeeded in qualifying for the title clash of the rich-cash league under Iyer’s captaincy.
Ahead of this IPL season, Shreyas wasn’t included in the BCCI’s central contract list. However, the PBKS captain’s fortunes changed as he is considered the top contender for India’s white ball captain.
Is Shreyas Iyer no longer a remote-controlled captain?
After leading Punjab Kings to the finals, Shreyas Iyer breaks the tag of a remote-controlled captain.
The previous year, Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to lift the highly coveted trophy. At that time, the fans and experts strongly believed that the team’s mentor Gautam Gambhir was the mastermind behind the success.
As Gambhir went on to become India’s next head coach, the KKR’s winning captain was released ahead of the mega auction due to his lack of form with the bat. The franchise’s management wrongly assumed that Shreyas’s leadership skills could be incomplete without their mentor.
Meanwhile, Gambhir’s reality as a poor strategist was exposed to the entire cricket world. He faced severe backlash due to India’s lackluster performance in tests. Also, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s form declined in the longest format. As a consequence, the duo of veteran batters announced their retirement from tests, which broke millions of fans’ hearts.
This season, Iyer silenced the critics by leading the Punjab Kings without any assistance. He proved to the world that he can be a solo decision maker and lead the squad from the front, thereby making the doubters’ statements completely false.
Can Shreyas Iyer Become the Next ODI Captain After Rohit Sharma?
Iyer’s recent form with the bat and brilliant tactics as a captain have higher chances of becoming Rohit Sharma’s successor as the next ODI captain. This makes the selectors’ job tougher to exclude him from the squad for long.
Although Rohit hasn’t fixed any retirement date, his exit from T20Is and tests in the past year has become difficult to predict upon his longevity in the 50-over format. If such a situation arises, Iyer could be the frontrunner to take up the leadership role.
Also, Iyer has a strong chance to highlight his skills as he will return to international duty for India’s white ball tour of Bangladesh in August.
Indian Team Selectors to Plan for One Captain in White Ball Cricket
Currently, the Indian cricket team is led by multiple captains in three different formats such as:
- Tests: Shubman Gill
- One-Day Internationals (ODIs): Rohit Sharma
- T20 Internationals (T20Is): Suryakumar Yadav
Previously, Team India had MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, who served as the all-format captains for the past few years.
However, three captains for three formats in international cricket wouldn’t be manageable as a long-term plan of action. As a result, the Indian team selectors are planning to appoint only one captain in white ball cricket (both T20Is and ODIs) and another for test cricket in the forthcoming years.
While Suryakumar Yadav has failed to secure his spot in the men-in-blue’s ODI squad, it is unlikely that he would continue as the T20I captain.
‘Iyer Entered the Race for White Ball Captaincy’: BCCI Source Reveals Facts
One of the closest sources to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was quoted as saying that Iyer officially entered the race to become India’s next white ball captain:
“Yes! Currently, he plays only in ODIs for India. But, after this IPL season, it becomes tougher to exclude him from T20 Internationals (T20Is) as well as in tests. Additionally, he officially joined the race among other contenders to become India’s white ball captain”, the BCCI source said.
Having played 121 matches in white ball cricket, Iyer scored 3,949 runs (ODIs: 2,845 runs in 70 matches and T20Is: 1,104 runs in 51 matches).
Recently, the right-handed batsman was sidelined from India’s test squad for the upcoming England tour. However, Iyer might secure a place in the test format if he continues to perform consistently in domestic cricket.
Final Review:
Shreyas Iyer’s role is not just limited to a reliable batsman and consistent performer, but also viewed as a strong leader who can lead India’s white ball squad in the future.
With the T20 World Cup 2026 on the way, Iyer emerges as the promising successor to Rohit Sharma, given his determination, recent form, and rising prominence in Indian cricket. His mature understanding of the sport, added with brilliant decision-making skills, and composed on-field attitude make him a promising option for a long-term captaincy role