Shreyas Iyer is all set to embark on a significant milestone in his cricketing career as he prepares to lead the Indian national team in the T20 International format. When he steps onto the field for the toss against Ireland this evening, he will officially be recognized as the 15th captain to lead India in T20Is. This leadership change comes at a time of transition for the Indian squad, following the unexpected exit of Suryakumar Yadav from both the captaincy and the team roster. Shreyas Iyer now faces the challenge of maintaining the momentum of a team that has seen various leaders over the years.
The Early Era of T20I Captaincy
The history of India's T20I captaincy began with the explosive opener Virender Sehwag. He was the first player to lead India in this format, though his tenure was brief, lasting only 1 match. However, he maintained a 100 percent win record by winning that single game. Following him, the legendary MS Dhoni took over the reins and defined an era. Dhoni captained India in 70 matches, the highest by any Indian at one point, securing 42 victories. During his long tenure, other players also stepped in briefly. Suresh Raina captained the side in 3 matches and won all of them, while Ajinkya Rahane led in 2 matches, managing to win 1 of them.
The Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Chapters
Virat Kohli eventually took over the leadership, guiding the team through 48 T20I matches. Under his captaincy, India secured 32 wins. During Kohli's era, several other players were given the opportunity to lead in his absence. Shikhar Dhawan captained the team in 3 matches, winning 1. Rishabh Pant served as captain for 4 matches, achieving 2 wins. KL Rahul led the side in 1 match and emerged victorious. On top of that, Jasprit Bumrah and Ruturaj Gaikwad have both captained India in 2 matches each, with both maintaining a perfect winning record in those games.
Recent Leadership and the Suryakumar Yadav Era
Rohit Sharma also had a highly successful stint as the T20I captain. He led the team in 62 matches and secured an impressive 50 wins. Following the transition from Rohit, Hardik Pandya took charge for 16 matches, winning 10 of them. More recently, Shubman Gill led the team in 5 matches, winning 4. The most recent full-time captain was Suryakumar Yadav, who led India in 50 matches and secured 42 wins. Notably, India won the T20 World Cup 2026 title under his leadership at the beginning of the year. Despite this success, he has now been moved out of the team, paving the way for Shreyas Iyer, while as Iyer takes charge on the evening of June 26, all eyes will be on how he manages the 15th chapter of India's T20I leadership history.