Board of Control for Cricket in India is reportedly considering multiple options for India’s future T20I captaincy role if Suryakumar Yadav is replaced after IPL 2026. Among the leading contenders, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer are currently being discussed the most.
India are scheduled to tour England and Ireland for a white-ball series in June and July. IPL performances are expected to play a major role in the final squad selection for the tour.
While Suryakumar has struggled for consistency this season, both Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer have impressed with the bat. Their leadership performances in the IPL have also increased discussions around the future captaincy role.
Sanju Samson’s regular presence in India’s T20I setup is reportedly working strongly in his favour. Since the 2024 T20 World Cup, he has remained an important part of the national squad and has delivered several key performances.
Sanju has scored 1,399 runs in 62 T20I matches, including three centuries and six half-centuries. His experience as captain of Rajasthan Royals is also said to be a major factor in the selectors’ discussions.
His impressive form for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026 has further strengthened his chances. However, many still believe Shreyas Iyer remains a strong captaincy candidate because of his calm leadership style.
The Punjab Kings captain has handled pressure situations confidently this season. His ability to balance captaincy responsibilities while maintaining batting form has received praise from fans and experts.
There are also reports that selectors had differences with Iyer in the past. Notably, he last played a T20I for India in December 2023, which has raised questions about his immediate return as captain.
Some fans believe appointing Iyer directly as captain after such a long gap could be difficult. Others argue he may still be the better choice because captaincy has not affected his batting performances previously.
At the same time, there are concerns that giving full-time captaincy responsibilities to Sanju Samson could increase pressure on him and impact his batting consistency.
Reports suggest the selectors may still continue with Suryakumar Yadav for the England and Ireland T20I series. However, if his struggles continue, India could witness a major captaincy change later this year.
