T20I captaincy India could soon become a major talking point ahead of the upcoming tours of Ireland and England. Suryakumar Yadav was reported to be investigated by the side. While no official decision has been made yet, recent reports suggest that the national selectors are closely monitoring the star prospect’s long-term slump in form and may consider both his leadership role and his position in the playing XI.
Amid growing speculation, the former Indian opener Akash Chopra He weighed in on the debate and named a player he believes should lead the Men in Blue if the selectors decide to move on from Suryakumar.
Aakash Chopra takes part in India’s T20I captaincy debate
Speaking about this on his YouTube channel, Chopra said Shreyas Iyer If Suryakumar is no longer retained as captain, leading India in T20Is would be his preferred option. The former cricketer also advocated for its inclusion Rajat Patidar It was in India’s middle order, but I felt Shreyas’ leadership experience gave him an edge in the captaincy race.
“If he is not there and you are looking at someone else, my vote will be for Shreyas Iyer. Make him part of the Indian team. Bring him in the middle order. Bring Rajat Patidar along with him, but I see the captaincy on Shreyas Iyer’s shoulder because he has experience.. He has performed amazingly in white ball cricket. He is very, very good. He is a performer. He is an absolute game changer in white ball cricket and is a very good captain. He’s done it with three different franchises.” Chopra said.
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Suryakumar’s recent struggles add to the captaincy controversy
The debate over India’s T20I leadership comes at a time when Suryakumar is enduring one of the toughest phases of his career. Although he led India T20 World Cup 2026 Headline, his returns with the bat have declined significantly over the past year. After finishing IPL 2025 With 717 runs, five half-centuries and 38 sixes, Suryakumar had a dramatic fall. IPL 2026. representing Mumbai Indians (MI)he managed just 270 runs in 13 matches, averaging just over 20 while hitting just 10 sixes throughout the campaign.
Reports have also suggested that the 35-year-old is dealing with a wrist issue that could limit his trademark shooting range, although he has publicly denied any injury. Meanwhile, Iyer continues to strengthen his credentials as a leader. guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for IPL 2024 name and previously led Delhi Capitals (DC) to the final in 2020 and Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the IPL final in 2025. Patidar has also emerged as a strong leadership candidate after the captaincy. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to back-to-back IPL titles in 2025 and 2026.
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