Shreyas Iyer Named New T20I Captain; BCCI Selector Ajit Agarkar Hails 'Well-Deserving' Leader

"Well-deserving": BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Shreyas Iyer becoming new T20I skipper

Mumbai, June 6

The BCCI named Shreyas Iyer as India's new T20I captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav despite him leading the side to a historic ICC Men's T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year. India became the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup title and also the first team to achieve the feat on home soil.

While announcing India's squad for the T20I series against England and Ireland, and the Asian Games, BCCI chief selector Agarkar said Iyer's appointment as captain was made with both team strategy and players' recent form in mind.

Agarkar explained that Shreyas' experience leading different IPL franchises, including winning finals and navigating challenging seasons, makes him ready to take on the national T20I captaincy.

"With regards to Shreyas, we've seen what he's done over the last few years, leading different franchises, obviously won finals once, and probably had a tougher season this year (IPL) after a great start, so he's seen everything that a captain possibly can. His own performances have been really good. He was quite close to getting in that World Cup squad as well. With regards to Suryakumar obviously it's a tough one having just won the World Cup but as it happens after most World Cups you try and reassess what your best way forward is partly his own form but also looking at the next two years cycle or a little bit more than two years now till the next World Cup we thought this was the best way forward and like I said, Shreyas is a well-deserving captain," Agarkar said.

Speaking on Tilak Varma being named vice-captain of India's T20I team, Agarkar said, "Tilak is, firstly, a terrific player, which allows him to learn the job as well, just in case that need arises ever."

On Tilak's place in the team, Agarkar added, "No, I don't think we doubt his place in the team. I mean, he batted only five because we played two keepers and then Ishan batted three, so you know everyone dropped down the order had a couple of really key innings in the World Cup, so now again Surya wasn't the vice captain or captain, when he was made captain last time, you know, so after the World Cup in the Caribbean, so no again being vice captain probably gives him a chance to learn the job a little bit as well, we don't have any doubts about him as a player which is the first thing you look at."

India will begin their limited-overs assignment with a two-match T20I series against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28 before travelling to England for a five-match T20I series from July 1 to 11.

The men's T20 cricket competition in the Asian Games in Japan will be held from September 24 to October 3 and will feature 10 teams, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

— ANI