According to a report by a most popular daily Hindi newspaper Dainik Jagran, Sanju Samson might become the next T20 captain for India.
The player of the 2026 T20 World Cup is in a favorable position to become India’s next Twenty twenty captain due to his recent red hot form he has maintained throughout the shortest format of the game and the immense attraction he acquired from the audience.
As a result, Shreyas Iyer’s chances of captaining the team are fading. Iyer has been in limelight for his extraordinary captaincy in IPL where he had guided three different teams to finals, with one final victory and also making contributions in batting with one of famous knock came in this season where he scored 71 not out against DC in highest ever chase of the league of 265.
Surya Kumar Yadav’s out of form a leading concern
The reason behind this sudden change at leadership helm is the bad patch of form of the current T20I captain of India, Suryakumar Yadav. He only managed to score 242 runs in 8 games in T20 WC with his highest score of 84 not out coming against the underdogs USA. And his poor form has continued in the Indian Premier League where he only scored 195 runs in 10 matches for MI.
This will not be the first time that SKY has been sidelined from an Indian side. He has already faced the same thing in ODI format. He was once a part of the famous 2023 World Cup campaign, where the team finished as runners up of the tournament. However, he lost his position owing to series of lackluster performances.
Now, his place in India’s T20 setup has also come under scrutiny, with crucial white-ball series against Ireland cricket team and England cricket team scheduled for June and July respectively.
Sanju Samson’s Phenomenal rise in the game
Scoring 321 runs in 5 innings in the T20 WC this year and becoming the leading run scorer of the campaign, Samson’s dominance has also continued in the Indian Premier League with scoring 402 runs in 10 matches for CSK which also includes two centuries.
Sanju Samson has rapidly grown into one of the most popular figures among cricket fans. His consistency in pressure chases, combined with his calm leadership during his stint with Rajasthan Royals, has strengthened his credentials as a future captaincy candidate for the India national cricket team.
Why Shreyas Iyer might not be in the leadership race
Shreyas Iyer had emerged as a strong contender for India’s T20 captaincy after leading three different IPL franchises: Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings, to IPL finals, including KKR’s title-winning campaign in 2024.
However, what has worked against him is his long absence from India’s T20 setup, with his last appearance in the format coming back in 2023. At the same time, Sanju Samson’s meteoric rise in popularity, backed by consistent performances in pressure chases and strong leadership qualities, has significantly shifted the conversation among fans and experts alike.
