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Shreyas Iyer is all set to make his debut as India’s full-time T20 captain in the upcoming two-match T20 series against Ireland followed by the tour of England. Ahead of his new journey, Punjab Kings (PBKS) fast bowler Vishal Vijayakumar has shared why he feels Shreyas is the right man for the job.
Iyer recently replaced Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain after his poor batting performance. Suryakumar has lost not only the captaincy but also his place in the team. Recently Mohammad Azharuddin gave a big decision on Shreyas Iyer.
IPL success helps Shreyas Iyer replace Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain
The right-handed batsman impressed the selectors with his remarkable captaincy for PBKS, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Iyer won the IPL trophy as captain of KKR and led Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to the finals.
Ahead of India’s tour of Ireland and England, Vishak Vijaykumar praised Shreyas Iyer, saying that the biggest quality of the PBKS captain is that he treats everyone in the team equally. He said that Iyer knows how to make him feel comfortable.
Vishak also revealed that Shreyas always believed in the Indian players and youngsters and never made anyone feel left out and created a happy atmosphere inside the dressing room.
He treats everyone equally: Vishak on Iyer
“I think the way Shreyas Iyer treats everyone equally is the biggest thing because young players, obviously, will be under a lot of pressure. So, the way you handle them and talk to them makes a lot of difference,” PTI quoted Vishak Vijayakumar as saying.
IPL is a tough competition, and, you know, it is the Indian players who will win the tournament for you. So, the way he handled all the Indian players, the uncapped players, was calming and there was a lot to learn (from) for me and everyone and that makes him a good leader.
Vishak Vijaykumar lauds Shreyas Iyer’s maturity and hunger to succeed
Vijayakumar feels that Shreyas has evolved a lot as a captain over the years. He said that the Mumbai batsman is always thinking of new ideas and looking for ways to improve the team. He also praised the captain’s hunger to win and said that he brings energy and confidence with him.
“He has matured a lot as a captain and a player since the first time I saw him in 2025. Every day he is bringing new things to the table, and every day he eagerly wants to try them,” the fast bowler said.
“He has this fire and aura that he has every time he goes out on the field, because he wants to win it no matter what, and the way he handles himself and the way he handles everybody on the team – it’s just a joy.”
Iyer is currently playing in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Afghanistan at home. He served as vice-captain, but could only score 38 runs in 2 innings at an average of 19.00 and a strike rate of 97.44. The third and final ODI is to be held on June 20 in Chennai.