By Admin 
The Indian cricket team will enter the T20 World Cup 2026 under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav. However, since his selection, the discussion has intensified that this tournament could also be his last as captain. Considering Suryakumar’s age, recent form and future planning of BCCI, the question is natural that if Suryya leaves the captaincy, then who will be the next T20 captain.
Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy record strong
After Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20 cricket, BCCI handed over the responsibility of captaincy to Suryakumar Yadav. He was given preference over Pandya. Surya’s record as captain has been impressive. Under his captaincy, India has not lost any T20 series till now. India has registered 28 wins in 39 T20 International matches, while facing defeat in only 6 matches. However, there was definitely a lack of consistency in his batting performance in 2025, which is a matter of concern for the selectors. If his performance does not improve even till the T20 World Cup 2026, then questions may be raised on his captaincy. In the current situation, three players appear to be at the forefront of this race.
Shubhman Gill
Even though Shubman Gill may not have got a place in the current T20 team due to poor form, his name is considered to be at the forefront in the race for captaincy. BCCI is thinking that in future, only one captain should be kept in all three formats. Gill is already commanding the Test and ODI teams. In such a situation, handing over the responsibility of the T20 team to Suryakumar could be a natural step. Considering his age and future, the selectors consider Gill as a long term option.
Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer is a strong contender in the matter of captaincy. His leadership has been highly praised after leading KKR to the title in IPL 2024 and taking Punjab Kings to the final in IPL 2025. Leadership quality is clearly visible in Shreyas and his performance under captaincy further improves. In IPL 2025, 604 runs were scored with his bat. His average was more than 50 and his strike rate was also 175 plus. If he continues to perform well after getting opportunities in T20 Internationals, it will be difficult for the selectors to ignore him.
Akshar Patel
Axar Patel has recently been made the vice-captain of the T20 team, which shows his growing stature. He is a senior player in the dressing room and has won big tournaments. The experience of captaincy in IPL also goes in his favor. If the selectors want a calm and balanced captain, Akshar can also be a strong option.