Thanks to the IPL, Team India has seen the emergence of several talented cricketers over the years. The competition for places in the Indian team has become so intense that two or even three players are fighting for every spot. In recent years, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remained the senior figures in India's T20 setup. Under their leadership, players like Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Shreyas Iyer developed into star cricketers.
However, the same system now appears to be turning into a curse for India's T20 captains. In 2024, India finally ended its long wait and lifted the T20 World Cup after nearly a decade under Rohit Sharma's leadership. Following the historic triumph, Rohit announced his retirement from T20 Internationals and continued only in the ODI and Test formats.
In a surprising move, Rohit retired from Test cricket in May 2025 while still participating in the IPL. He has since been playing only ODI cricket. However, shortly after stepping away from Tests, the BCCI reportedly removed him from the ODI captaincy as well. The decision attracted widespread criticism, with many questioning whether this was the respect a World Cup-winning captain deserved.
Now, a similar situation seems to be unfolding for Rohit's successor, Suryakumar Yadav. After taking over the T20 captaincy from Rohit, Suryakumar led India to another T20 World Cup title this year. Despite that achievement, reports suggest that the selectors are considering replacing him and handing the captaincy to another player.
According to reports, the BCCI selection committee has already begun discussions on the matter. Two names are said to be leading the race for the captaincy — Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson. Both players have leadership experience and have been consistent performers for their teams, making them strong contenders in the eyes of the selectors.
As a result, it appears that Suryakumar could soon lose the captaincy. The primary reason behind this move is believed to be his poor form. Since last year, the star batter has struggled to produce significant performances and has failed in several major tournaments. His disappointing run has continued in the ongoing Mumbai T20 League, strengthening speculation that India could appoint a new captain for the upcoming Ireland series.
If that happens, it would mean that the BCCI selection committee has effectively moved on from two consecutive T20 World Cup-winning captains within a short span of time.
Meanwhile, former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has also weighed in on the debate. Chopra believes Shreyas Iyer would be a suitable choice to lead the Indian T20 side in the future. However, he also feels that Suryakumar Yadav should not be removed abruptly and deserves more time to prove himself as captain.
Chopra further suggested that Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar should be given an opportunity in India's middle order, highlighting his leadership qualities and recent success in franchise cricket.
