amid growing discussions around from india T20I lead ahead of busy white-ball calendar, former India wicketkeeper-batsman saba kareem The emphasis is on debate over who might ultimately succeed. Suryakumar Yadav As captain of the national team. Ready to play T20 series against India ireland And England before defending them asian games Leadership succession has become a major talking point after the gold medal win later this year.
While several established names have emerged as potential candidates, Karim believes the selectors may have a number of options to consider. The former cricketer highlighted the importance of recent performance, leadership qualities and ability to handle pressure while identifying three players who could be contenders for the role.
Saba Karim chooses three contenders for India’s T20I captaincy
While speaking on JioStar, Karim revealed the name Shreyas Iyer, sanju samson And Ishan Kishan As a strong candidate to replace Suryakumar in future. Of the three, Iyer appears to be one of the most experienced leadership options available. Punjab Kings (PBKS) The captain did an excellent job ipl 2026 campaign, scoring 498 runs in 14 matches at an average of 55.33 and a strike rate of 168.81. He also has significant captaincy experience, having previously led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Guiding both of them to reach IPL title Delhi Capitals (DC) And Punjab Kings in the IPL final.
“I think Shreyas Iyer will be one of those candidates. But I also have Sanju Samson in mind and really Ishan Kishan. I believe there will be two or three strong contenders to take over the captaincy.” Kareem said.
Kishan, meanwhile, enjoyed a fantastic season Sunrisers Hyderabad (KKR)Scored 602 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 182.42. The wicketkeeper-batsman also gained valuable leadership experience after serving as SRH’s interim captain during the tournament. Indian wicketkeeper batsman Samson had a brilliant performance in India’s success. ICC T20 World CupCan also be one of the main contenders for the role of captaincy.
Rajat Patidar has emerged as a surprise contender
Karim also added another interesting name to the conversation, i.e., Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar. The former India cricketer praised Patidar’s calm leadership style and pointed to his remarkable achievement in leading RCB to consecutive IPL titles. According to Karim, managing a dressing room full of international stars and experienced campaigners is no easy task, making Patidar a real contender despite not having made his T20I debut for India yet.
“I would like to add Rajat Patidar’s name as a contender for captaincy. Winning consecutive IPL titles is a very tough task, and he has done it in a very calm and assured manner,” Kareem said.
Patidar enjoyed another productive IPL season in 2026, scoring 501 runs at a strike rate of 192.69 and leading RCB to consecutive championships.
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Karim dismisses Hardik Pandya as a favorite
While discussing possible successors, Karim also discussed the possibility of hardik pandya Reclaiming leadership roles. However, he suggested that the all-rounder may not be at the front of the queue at present. Karim pointed to questions regarding Hardik’s recent leadership record and overall form. Mumbai Indians (MI) They had a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, finishing ninth in the standings, which further weakened their case according to the former selector.
“I think the selectors have raised question marks over Hardik Pandya’s leadership skills. Even on current form, I don’t think he will be able to justify his position as the captain of the Indian team.” Karim concluded.
With India’s next T20I assignment against Ireland later this month, discussions about the team’s long-term leadership structure are likely to continue as the selectors evaluate their options for the future.
