India’s loss if Shreyas Iyer isn’t made white-ball captain; BCCI risks long-term fallout if reins aren't handed over

But beyond numbers, Iyer’s presence has reversed the franchise’s fortunes. For years, PBKS was just another team, but ever since Iyer was snapped for ₹26.75 lakh at the IPL 2025 mega-auction, the transformation has been incredible. He took his team to the final last year, and although it’s early days in this IPL, a PBKS vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru repeat cannot be ruled out in the final. Iyer is everything at once – a mighty fine batter, an IPL-winning captain and a man with a spine – which begs the question: why isn’t Shreyas Iyer a more permanent fixture in India’s ODI and T20I sides? ODIs, yes. But for a player who has won the IPL and finished runner-up twice, his exclusion from T20Is is, at best, baffling.

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This is the same guy who ramped up India’s 2023 World Cup campaign, scoring 530 runs in 11 matches – the fourth-highest run-scorer in the single edition after Virat Kohli’s 765, Sachin Tendulkar’s 673 in 2003 and Rohit Sharma’s 648 runs in 2019. Iyer may not churn out runs like Kohli, but he comes closest to matching his aura. Make no mistake – Kohli was the face of Indian cricket for a generation. His raw aggression, batting brilliance and superstar gravitas blended perfectly. Iyer, the batter, may not produce similar numbers, but his personality, leadership and captaincy traits surpass those of the BCCI’s current trust in Shubman Gill.

Shreyas Iyer over Gill?

As for injuries, Gill has had his share, too. A prolonged neck issue forced him to miss the South Africa ODIs and Tests. It’s about time the BCCI lets go of its obsession with one captain across formats; it’s simply not plausible today. At best, India can have one captain for ODIs and T20Is, and another for Tests. And if Gill doesn’t fit the bill, the responsibility must shift to Iyer. There’s little justification for him continuing to be overlooked.

In 2019, a succession plan was initiated to make Iyer the next captain. After losing the World Cup semi-final to New Zealand, Kohli and the then-management wanted to groom Iyer as the next skipper. Despite trying out Ambati Rayudu, Vijay Shankar and Rishabh Pant at No. 4, it is believed that Iyer was the best contender, having set up the Vijay Hazare Trophy on fire, scoring 373 runs in seven matches for Mumbai and emerging as the team’s leading run-scorer. He even toured New Zealand in 2020 and produced knocks of 62, 52 and 103 in Mount Maunganui, Auckland and Hamilton. Throughout his career, Iyer’s contributions are scattered, but it often flows under the radar, such as his century on Test debut and the 87 he scored to save India the blushes against Bangladesh in Mirpur.

When Iyer wasn’t included in India’s Asia Cup squad last year, all hell broke loose. Ajit Agarkar’s selection panel was questioned by fans and former cricketers alike – and rightly so. Here was an IPL-winning captain who followed it up with a runner-up finish. T20 cricket isn’t just about batting; it’s also about lifting teammates, producing moments of brilliance – as seen just last evening – and offering reliability, all of which Iyer brings.

Iyer is red-hot and in his zone. This is his moment, which is why the BCCI must act – especially in T20Is, where a change in captaincy is due. Shubman Gill isn’t part of India’s T20I set-up, and with the ball dropped on Hardik Pandya long time ago, and Suryakumar Yadav already 35 and short of runs, the succession plan is ripe for picking. If not now, then when?

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