Shreyas Iyer named T20I captain, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in squad for UK tour

India have ushered in a new era in T20I cricket by appointing Shreyas Iyer as captain for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, ending Suryakumar Yadav's tenure just months after he led the team to T20 World Cup glory. The selectors also handed a maiden call-up to 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi following his record-breaking IPL campaign.

Iyer returns to India's T20I setup for the first time since December 2023 and will lead a squad that also includes vice-captain Tilak Varma and returning pacer Harshit Rana, whose last competitive appearance came in February. The announcement marks a significant shift in India's white-ball plans as the team begins building towards the next T20 World Cup cycle and the Asian Games later this year.

"With regards to Shreyas, obviously we've seen what he's done over the last few years, leading different franchises. He's won one and reached finals as well, and probably had a tougher season this year after a great start. So we've seen everything that a captain possibly can," chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said.

Iyer's leadership stock has risen sharply since his last T20I appearance. He captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 before guiding Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, earning widespread praise for his captaincy. His batting has also flourished during this period, highlighted by a maiden IPL century and 498 runs in the recently concluded season.

"With regards to Shreyas, obviously we've seen what he's done over the last few years, leading different franchises. He's won one and reached finals as well, and probably had a tougher season this year after a great start. So we've seen everything that a captain possibly can," chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said.

Iyer's leadership stock has risen sharply since his last T20I appearance. He captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 before guiding Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, earning widespread praise for his captaincy. His batting has also flourished during this period, highlighted by a maiden IPL century and 498 runs in the recently concluded season.

"With regards to Shreyas, obviously we've seen what he's done over the last few years, leading different franchises. He's won one and reached finals as well, and probably had a tougher season this year after a great start. So we've seen everything that a captain possibly can," chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said.

Iyer's leadership stock has risen sharply since his last T20I appearance. He captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 before guiding Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, earning widespread praise for his captaincy. His batting has also flourished during this period, highlighted by a maiden IPL century and 498 runs in the recently concluded season.