The T20I squad will be announced on Saturday for the upcoming tour of Ireland and England, India’s first T20I assignment since Suryakumar led them to the T20 World Cup tile in March.
His successor Shreyas is 31 but has not played a T20I since December 2023 due to India’s inability to find a place for him due to squad combinations, with Suryakumar and Tilak Varma occupying middle-order positions. Shreyas was most recently called up to the T20I squad as an injury replacement during the home series against New Zealand in January this year, but did not play a game because India preferred to pick the players who were going to play in the T20 World Cup that followed.
Shreyas, however, has proven captaincy credentials, having led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the IPL title in 2024 and led Delhi Capitals (DC) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the final in 2020 and 2025, respectively. He scored 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 in IPL 2025 and 498 runs at a strike rate of 168.81 in IPL 2026.
It is the second successive year in which India’s selectors are making such a decision. In 2025, Rohit Sharma had captained India to the Champions Trophy title in March, but the selectors replaced him as ODI captain before India’s next series in Australia in October. Rohit, however, continued to be part of the ODI squad.
India play Ireland in two T20Is in Belfast on June 26 and 28, followed by five T20Is in England from July 1 to 11.
