India’s new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer has delivered a strong message after being handed the leadership role, saying he will remain true to himself and will not try to operate under anyone else’s shadow. The Mumbai batter said captaincy is a challenge he relishes, but one that will not force him to change his personality or approach to the game.
India recently appointed Iyer as their new T20I captain for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, marking the beginning of a fresh white-ball cycle. Speaking at a promotional event for the Kabuni Premier League in Mumbai, Iyer reflected on how the competitive cricket culture in Mumbai shaped his mentality and prepared him for leadership responsibilities.
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“I obviously loved challenges growing up, especially being from Mumbai, where the cricket is pretty big and the competition is high. Every other kid on the street wants to represent Mumbai in cricket, and I faced a lot of challenges growing up. So my mindset was always about winning against everyone that I challenged.”
The 30-year-old explained that taking responsibility has always motivated him and that captaincy represents another opportunity to test himself at the highest level.
“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’ve got this job right now as captain, it’s a great challenge. At the same time, I don’t have to change my personality. I have to be the same person how I was before and not try to be someone else or be under someone’s shadow,” he added.
Iyer’s career has been on quite the roller-coaster ride in the past couple of years, as he returns to India’s T20I setup for the first time since December 2023. After years of proving himself as both a batter and leader in domestic and franchise cricket, he now finds himself tasked with leading India’s next generation in the shortest format.
DID SHREYAS IYER TAKE A DIG AT GAUTAM GAMBHIR?
The “shadow” narrative traces back to the 2024 IPL season, when Shreyas Iyer captained the Kolkata Knight Riders to a dominant title victory under the mentorship of Gautam Gambhir. Despite Iyer’s superb tactical handling on the field, the cricket world overwhelmingly credited the triumph to the “Gambhir Effect.” This friction was amplified by persistent rumours that Shreyas felt deeply underappreciated during that run, with reports even suggesting this to be the reason for him subsequently leaving KKR to join Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2025.
Because of this history, Iyer’s bold statement that he will not play “under someone’s shadow” has set the rumor mill into overdrive as an apparent dig at his former mentor. Neither man has ever acknowledged a rift, and Gambhir actually handed Shreyas his first captaincy break back in 2018 with the Delhi Daredevils. However, as the two headstrong personalities reunite on the international stage to guide India’s fresh T20I cycle, the comment serves as a clear notice that Iyer intends to run his ship entirely on his own terms.
WHY WAS SHREYAS IYER MADE INDIA T20 CAPTAIN?
Iyer’s appointment is the culmination of a remarkable rise as a captain over the past two IPL cycles.
He led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 before guiding Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, earning praise for his calm leadership style and tactical decision-making. His reputation only grew further despite Punjab Kings missing out on the IPL 2026 playoffs.
The Mumbai batter continued to deliver with the bat as well. After scoring a maiden IPL century in 2025, he followed it up with another impressive season in 2026, scoring 498 runs at an average of 55.23 and a strike rate of 168.81.
The selectors ultimately decided to hand him the reins as India begin preparations for the next T20 World Cup cycle and the Asian Games later this year.
The decision also marks the end of Suryakumar Yadav’s tenure as captain despite leading India to a successful T20 World Cup title defence. However, Suryakumar reacted positively to Shreyas taking over his place getting removed from the T20I side, and said he was happy that the last three India T20I captains have all come from Mumbai.
WHEN WILL SHREYAS IYER FIRST LEAD INDIA?
Iyer’s first assignment as India’s T20I captain will come during the upcoming tour of Ireland.
India are scheduled to play two T20Is against Ireland before travelling to England for a five-match T20I series. The tour will mark Iyer’s first opportunity to lead the national team in international cricket and begin shaping the side ahead of future global tournaments.
With vice-captain Tilak Varma, returning pacer Harshit Rana and several young players in the squad, the series is expected to offer an early glimpse into Iyer’s leadership style as India embark on a new era in T20 cricket.
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