Before he wears the captain’s armband and leads India for the first time in T20I cricket, Shreyas Iyer delivered a passionate speech in the team huddle during training in Belfast. Having replaced World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, one of the first things Iyer did in training was offer a glimpse of what the Men in Blue could expect under his leadership.
After coach Gautam Gambhir congratulated Shreyas Iyer on taking over the captaincy, Iyer spoke about the importance of team culture, making it clear that he wants to build a positive atmosphere within the squad.
“Let’s try and build a solid culture going forward. My first opportunity to captain the Indian team and definitely an honour and privilege as Gauti bhai mentioned. It’s a great respect as well to be leading the country. So going forward, I want to create a culture where all of us are protecting, supporting each other through thick and thin, and more importantly, when we are out here, have as much fun as possible.
“It’s a great opportunity and this is a family. Let’s play like Lions and approach each and every game like we are going to win it and play to the best of our abilities. Have an atmosphere where we are uplifting each other and enjoying each other’s success,” he said.
India trained extensively on the eve of the series opener in Belfast. All eyes were on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was in line to make his debut in one of the two matches. Vaibhav batted for nearly an hour in the nets under the watchful eyes of coach Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.
It seemed as though Vaibhav’s potential debut had stolen the spotlight from a major transition within the Indian team. For years in the IPL, Shreyas Iyer established himself as one of the most effective leaders, having guided Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to finals before winning the title with Kolkata Knight Riders under the mentorship of Gautam Gambhir. However, he was not part of India’s T20I set-up over the last two years because of intense competition for places. Shreyas, though, broke the selection doors down with two consistent IPL seasons and a rejuvenated run in domestic cricket.
When India began looking for a proven leader to replace Suryakumar Yadav following the unsuccessful experiment of appointing Shubman Gill as vice-captain, the selectors and the team umanagement eventally zeroed in on Shreyas Iyer.
It will not be easy for Shreyas, as there will be immediate pressure to deliver and build on the standards India set during the previous T20 World Cup cycle under Suryakumar. However, with considerable experience of captaining in the high-pressure environment of the IPL, coupled with the backing of coach Gambhir, with whom he worked during Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning campaign in 2024, Shreyas has the support group and experience required to find success in a format as unforgiving as T20 cricket.
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