New T20 captain for India? Big test ahead for Iyer, Gautam Gambhir's decision crucial

IRELAND: India fell off the top spot in the T20 format after failing to win even a single match in the Ireland and England tours. India lost its top spot in the ICC rankings after 1601 days. Under the new captain, the team lost four out of five games. This is the first time that India has lost six games in a row in this format. With this, Shreyas Iyer’s position as captain is teetering.

If Shreyas Iyer does not perform well in the upcoming Zimbabwe tour, the team will be in jeopardy. Iyer should do the essential to make India win at any cost. However, if there is a defeat against Zimbabwe, there is a high possibility that Shreyas will be removed from the captaincy. But who will replace Shreyas? The cricket world is currently discussing this topic.

If BCCI decides to replace Shreyas Iyer, the first player to be considered will be Sanju Samson. The rich experience in IPL, having led Rajasthan Royals, seniority, and the wicketkeeper-batsman priority will come in handy for the Malayali.

Among the senior players, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is another main choice. His experience of leading India in T20Is and his track record of leading the Gujarat Titans to a title win are factors in his favour. If Hardik returns to the team, there is a high possibility that he will be considered for the role. However, the poor performance of the Mumbai Indians under Hardik's captaincy last season has marred his reputation. Therefore, considering that factor, the BCCI will look for another option.

If the BCCI decides to shift the captaincy to the younger generation, Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill will be considered. Shubman Gill is currently the captain of the ODI and Test teams. If Gill is also considered for the T20 captaincy, he will have the distinction of having the same captain in all formats. It is an open secret that BCCI wants Gill to lead the team in all three formats. The final decision will depend on the strategies of the selection committee and coach Gautam Gambhir in the upcoming series of the Indian team. The upcoming Asian Games and Zimbabwe series will be crucial in this.