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Suryakumar Yadav may have led India to the Asia Cup in 2025 and the historic T20 World Cup 2026 title earlier this year, but his future as a T20 captain is now facing serious questions. If reports are to be believed, BCCI is thinking of making Shreyas Iyer or Hardik Pandya the new captain.
Even after winning the T20 World Cup, the selectors are reportedly not happy with Suryakumar Yadav, especially due to his poor performance since last year. Suryakumar has struggled badly in the ongoing IPL 2026 season.
The explosive batsman of Mumbai Indians has been able to score only 195 runs in 10 innings at an average of 19.50. The 35-year-old’s poor form has become a major concern as he is India’s T20I captain and then his age is also not working in his favour.
Also read: R Ashwin gives big warning to CSK regarding the race for IPL 2026 playoffs
Now, the Indian selectors are reportedly looking to build a young team for the future, and they are looking at Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer as T20I captaincy options. However, there are three important factors that suggest BCCI should not bet on Pandya.
Hardik Pandya’s repeated injuries are a matter of concern
Hardik Pandya’s career has been hampered by frequent injuries, especially to his lower back and ankles. Over the past few years, fitness issues have forced the Indian all-rounder to miss many important matches and big tournaments.
Even in the current IPL 2026, the captain of Mumbai Indians is currently suffering from the problem of back spasms. His role as a fast bowling all-rounder and his bowling action puts extra pressure on his back and ankles, often leading to sudden injuries.
Due to these recurring fitness concerns, Hardik Pandya now focuses only on white-ball cricket, and when Suryakumar Yadav was named India’s T20 captain, even chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that Hardik’s injury record makes it difficult for the selectors to plan long-term leadership around him.
poor leadership continuity
Hardik Pandya’s captaincy journey has been mixed. He led Gujarat Titans to IPL glory in 2022 and then to the final in the 2023 season. But after replacing Rohit Sharma in Mumbai Indians, he faced a tough time as the team finished at the bottom of the table.
At the time, Hardik’s vague tactics under pressure and confusing bowling tactics were blamed for this disaster. Even though MI reached the playoffs in 2025, the current IPL 2026 season has again been disappointing, with the team struggling at the bottom.
There are also reports that he failed to build strong team unity and bring peace to the MI dressing room, and some even claimed that many seniors do not like him. However, Hardik’s overall captaincy record is not that bad.
For India, Hardik Pandya has won 19 out of 30 matches in T20Is with a win rate of 63.33%. He led India to 4 wins in 6 matches with a win percentage of 66.67% in ODIs.
Two different phases can be seen under his captaincy in IPL. At Gujarat Titans, his win percentage was 70.97%, but it dropped to 40.54% while leading Mumbai Indians in the league. This raised questions about his continuity and long-term leadership stability.
There are better captaincy options available
If Suryakumar Yadav is sacked, there are few stronger and proven options available than Hardik Pandya. Among these, Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson are the top candidates. Iyer is one of the successful captains of the IPL, having led three franchises to the finals and winning the 2024 title with Kolkata Knight Riders.
Iyer also led Delhi Capitals to the 2020 final and Punjab Kings to the 2025 runner-up finish. His win percentage is very high, around 59%. The right-handed batsman also has the experience of leading India A and Mumbai in domestic cricket. The current PBKS captain is being praised for his calm captaincy.
Iyer’s extraordinary ability to read situations, understand the game, composure, tactical maturity and maintain team unity makes him the frontrunner to become India’s next T20I captain.
Sanju Samson is another great option. The current CSK wicketkeeper-batsman was the most successful captain of Rajasthan Royals. He is known for his calm, MS Dhoni-like leadership. He remains calm under pressure, trusts instincts and takes a big brother approach.
Also read: Ravichandran Ashwin picks KL Rahul and Vaibhav Suryavanshi as India’s new T20I opening pair