In-form batter emerges as contender for India’s white-ball captaincy

MUMBAI: Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has emerged as a strong contender for the white-ball captaincy of the Indian cricket team, Indian media reported on Saturday.

According to a report, despite being left out of the squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, Iyer has officially entered the race to lead India in limited-overs formats.

The 30-year-old led the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to their first Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final in 11 years, showcasing both tactical acumen and consistency with the bat. 

Iyer amassed 604 runs in 17 innings at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07.

His strong form continued in the international arena, where he played a pivotal role in India’s triumphant 2025 Champions Trophy campaign. 

He finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, helping India lift the title for the first time since 2013.

“Right now he just plays ODIs, but after this IPL, we can’t keep him out of T20 Internationals and even Tests. Plus, he has now officially joined the white-ball captaincy race,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by Indian media.

Iyer has demonstrated leadership across formats, having captained in 100 T20 matches with 61 wins and 37 losses. In List A cricket, he has led teams to 29 victories from 42 matches, losing only 10.

With 14 Tests, 70 ODIs, and 51 T20Is to his name, Iyer last appeared in a Test in February 2024 and played his most recent T20I in December 2023 against Australia. He is currently leading the Mumbai Falcons in the ongoing T20 Mumbai League 2025.

His next expected appearance for India is in August 2025, when the team tours Bangladesh for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and three T20Is.

It is pertinent to mention that following Rohit Sharma's retirement from the ODI format, no official appointment has yet been made for India’s white-ball captaincy.