India have ushered in a new era in T20I cricket by appointing Shreyas Iyer as captain for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, ending Suryakumar Yadav's tenure just months after he led the team to T20 World Cup glory. The selectors also handed a maiden call-up to 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi following his record-breaking IPL campaign.
India have ushered in a new era in T20I cricket by appointing Shreyas Iyer as captain for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, ending Suryakumar Yadav's tenure just months after he led the team to T20 World Cup glory. The selectors also handed a maiden call-up to 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi following his record-breaking IPL campaign.
"With regards to Shreyas, obviously we've seen what he's done over the last few years, leading different franchises. He's won one and reached finals as well, and probably had a tougher season this year after a great start. So we've seen everything that a captain possibly can," chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said.
Iyer's leadership stock has risen sharply since his last T20I appearance. He captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 before guiding Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, earning widespread praise for his captaincy. His batting has also flourished during this period, highlighted by a maiden IPL century and 498 runs in the recently concluded season.
"His own performances have been really good. He was quite close to getting into that World Cup squad as well. Obviously, with Surya still there, there was no room for him. He's, in my opinion, a standout candidate, with enough experience now, having led in the T20 format. This is obviously a different challenge," Agarkar added.
Despite Punjab Kings missing the IPL 2026 playoffs, Iyer enjoyed another productive campaign, scoring 498 runs at an average of 55.23 and a strike rate of 168.81.
Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav, despite leading India to a T20 title defence, has been left out of the team’s future plans, with selectors citing a combination of his recent form and the need to build towards the next cycle.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's rapid rise over the past year has earned him a place in the national squad at just 15. The teenage opener lit up IPL 2026, smashing records on his way to a remarkable season. He finished with 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.31, including a tournament-record 72 sixes, to claim the Orange Cap, Emerging Player award and MVP honours.
India will also welcome back Harshit Rana, whose all-round abilities add depth to the lower order. Rana had established himself in India's white-ball setup ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, but a knee injury before the tournament ruled him out for an extended period following surgery. His absence was also felt by Kolkata Knight Riders, who missed out on a playoff spot in the IPL.
Ravi Bishnoi has been preferred to Kuldeep Yadav, who was part of India's T20 World Cup-winning squad in March. While most members of that title-winning side have retained their places, Rinku Singh has made way for Sooryavanshi. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested, with Prince Yadav earning a call-up in his place. Prince has also been included in India's ODI squad for the home series against Afghanistan. Hardik Pandya, who is working his way back to full fitness and has been picked for the ODIs, has been left out of the T20I squad, with Nitish Kumar Reddy getting the nod instead.
India will begin the tour with two T20Is against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28 before heading to England for a five-match series. The opening game will be played in Chester-le-Street on July 1, while the final T20I is scheduled for Southampton on July 11.
Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested for the white-ball tour of the UK, with Bumrah expected to return for the Asian Games later this year.
"As far as Hardik is concerned, he is currently at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru undergoing rehabilitation. He will soon undergo a final fitness test before moving towards clearance," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. “We follow a process for every injured player. They need to be cleared by our technical teams before they can return, and we are awaiting their final fitness clearances.
The selectors remain mindful of Bumrah's workload management, with an eye on keeping him fit for Tests and ODIs. "He still has a chance to play the World Test Championship final. If he can feature in the majority of our games in the lead-up and stay fit and healthy, the aim is to have him available for Tests and ODIs," Saikia said.
Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma (VC), Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma (VC), Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
