New Delhi: India’s newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer has made it clear that taking over the leadership role will not change who he is, insisting that he will stick to the values that shaped him rather than imitating anyone else.The 31-year-old, who was named India’s new T20I captain on Saturday to replace Suriyakumar Yadav, said he plans to carry the same mindset and personality that helped him navigate the fiercely competitive cricket culture in Mumbai. Iyer said, “I don’t need to change my personality. I want to be the person I was before, and not try to be someone else or live in someone else’s shadow”.The batsman added that he thrived on competition and challenges from an early age.“I obviously like the growing challenges, especially being from Mumbai, where cricket is quite big, the competition is high. Every other kid on the street, he wants to represent Mumbai,” he said.
‘My mentality was always about winning’
Iyer said his competitive streak always revolved around winning and enjoying the game, which he believes helped shape his personality as a cricketer.“My mentality was always about winning, against everyone I challenged, whether it was about learning or about winning which is secondary, but the more fun you have growing up, the more competitive you are, especially when you play cricket or any other sport in general.”“I think it takes you to another level and you want to take that kind of responsibility (and) even when I’ve just got this job, or the responsibility as captain. It’s a huge challenge at the same time,” he added.The appointment marks a remarkable comeback for Iyer, who was left out of India’s T20I plans after his last appearance in December 2023. Now he is back not only as a middle-order batsman but also as the man to lead the team in the format.His first assignment as captain will be the two-match T20I series in Ireland.
Ganguly backed the selectors’ call.
Former India captain and former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly supported the decision to hand over the leadership role to Iyer, saying that the Mumbai batsman has earned the honor with his performance.“Shreyas has done a good job, he has earned it. I will not say it is unfair to remove Suryakumar Yadav. The selectors have taken a decision,” Ganguly said.Iyer will replace Suryakumar, who led India to the T20 World Cup title in March but was left out of the latest squad.
