India fast bowler Sandeep Sharma has sharply rejected suggestions that Shreyas Iyer should replace Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of India’s T20I team based on his IPL leadership record. Despite Iyer’s impressive track record of captaining IPL teams, including guiding Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title in 2024 and leading Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, Sharma believes this shouldn’t influence his selection for the national captaincy.
Iyer’s IPL Success vs. National Team Leadership
Shreyas Iyer’s leadership credentials in the IPL have been hard to overlook. Under his captaincy, KKR claimed the IPL 2024 title, and in 2025, he took Punjab Kings to the final. Iyer also captained Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in 2020. On top of his captaincy, he had a stellar personal season in IPL 2025, amassing over 600 runs at a strike rate of 175.07. However, despite his IPL success, Iyer was notably omitted from India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which will be played in T20I format.
Sandeep Sharma Slams the Debate
Sandeep Sharma, who has represented India in T20Is and played for multiple IPL franchises, dismissed the idea that Iyer’s IPL captaincy should automatically qualify him for the Indian T20I captaincy. Speaking to Crictracker, Sandeep stated, “This debate that Iyer, as a captain, took his team to the finals is senseless. Suryakumar Yadav is not doing the captaincy of any franchise, so that should not be the criteria for being the captain of the Indian team.”
IPL Leadership vs. National Team Leadership
Sharma also highlighted the fundamental difference between leading an IPL franchise and captaining an international team. “The IPL is a domestic league,” Sandeep explained. “When you pick an international team, you select a captain who can manage 15 players. IPL teams have a mix of domestic players, young talents, and overseas stars, making it different from the Indian national team setup.”
A Clear Distinction
Sandeep stressed the importance of understanding the difference between IPL and international cricket, especially when it comes to leadership. “These two teams—an IPL team and the Indian team—are entirely different. People need to understand this before commenting,” he added.
By rejecting the idea that IPL captaincy can determine international leadership roles, Sandeep Sharma has made it clear that IPL performances and leadership should not be the sole criteria for India’s national team captaincy.
Catch every update on Cricket News, Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, and Live Cricket Action—only on The Cricket Scores!
