Star player to replace Suryakumar Yadav as T20I captain after IPL 2026: Reports

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are reportedly considering a major leadership transition in the T20I squad by looking to replace Suryakumar Yadav with Shreyas Iyer after the conclusion of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The selection committee are considering making the change when they convene to pick the squads for the upcoming assignments.

According to a report by the Times of India, the BCCI have reportedly had enough with Suryakumar Yadav’s lean patch with the bat, and feel that the time is right for a switch with major assignments like the 2028 T20 World Cup and the 2028 LA Olympics in mind.

Team India will face Ireland, Zimbabwe, and England in the coming months in the shortest format, away from home, providing a decent launch pad for a potential leadership transition.

While Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are also reportedly seen as worthy successors to Suryakumar Yadav, the decision makers are leaning towards Shreyas Iyer’s leadership calibre, courtesy of his consistent success in the IPL.

“As of now, Surya’s days as captain appear to be over and it remains to be seen whether he stays in the scheme of things as a batter in the only format he plays for the country. While the 35-year-old has repeatedly expressed desire to continue as captain for the next two years, the men who matter are unconvinced by his batting returns,” the report mentions.

Barring a prolific IPL campaign, Suryakumar Yadav had a forgettable 2025, especially from a T20I standpoint. The right-handed batter scored only 218 runs in 21 matches at an average of 13.63 and a strike rate of 123.16.

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Although he showed glimpses of form in the home T20I series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup 2026 campaign at the start of the year, his form has taken a massive dip once again. Featuring for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2026, he has scored only 195 runs in 10 matches at an average of 19.50, with just one fifty to his name.

Suryakumar Yadav dealing with a persistent wrist injury since last year

The report also claims that Suryakumar Yadav has been playing with pain and discomfort due to a wrist injury, which could be the primary reason behind his poor returns over the last 12 months.

“While the taping and padding have not been consistent through competitions, it became a regular sight during the T20 World Cup. Right before a batting session, he would summon Dr Rizwan Khan — the team’s doctor — who would rush to the dressing room to get cotton pads and brown tapes to secure the wrist. In one instance, the two paid serious attention to the wrist before Surya could start knocking,” the report states.

Suryakumar Yadav has also had an ankle injury and hernia surgery over the last couple of years on top of the nagging issue to his wrist. With the star player set to turn 36 years old in a few months’ time, the prospect of his captaincy future becomes a major talking point despite the accolades in his reign.