New Delhi: Chief selector Ajit Agarkar made it clear on Saturday Shreyas Iyer Came close to securing a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad earlier this year.“With Surya Yet there was no place for him. So he is, in my opinion, a standout candidate now with a lot of experience, having led in the T20 format. It’s obviously a different challenge,” Agarkar told the media after announcing the Mumbai batsman as India’s new T20I captain. For some time now, Shreyas Was playing the waiting game. Having last represented India in the shortest format in December 2023, he kept knocking on the door. In the last three IPL seasons, he has scored 1,453 runs at an average of 48.43 and a strike rate of 165.3. Only Virat Kohli (2,073 runs), Sai Sudharsan (2,008), Shibman Gill (1,808), KL Rahul (1,590), Henrik Klaasen (1,590) and Abhishek Sharma (1,486) have scored more runs. It’s also worth noting that, with the exception of Klaasen, all of them started batting for their respective franchises.Meanwhile, Surya Kumar Yadavwho led India to T20 World Cup glory a few months back, saw his runs dry up.Over the past three years, Suriya has scored 1,332 IPL runs at an average of 39.17 and a strike rate of 163.23, with five ducks. He scored 717 runs at a strike rate of 167.91, enjoying a brilliant IPL 2025.However, runs have dried up in international cricket as well. If he averaged 43.60 before becoming India’s full-time T20 captain in July 2024, the figure has since dropped to 25.88. Once a brilliant batsman who toyed with the bowlers, his strike rate has also dropped from 168.75 to 152.03.
How Shreyas Iyer outperformed Suryakumar Yadav in the last three years. (Photo: Notebook LM)
Last year, in 30 matches, Surya scored 674 runs at an average of 30.63 and a strike rate of 148.78. This tally includes only four fifties and no centuries.Among players who have appeared in at least 25 T20Is during this period, his tally ranks him 20th in world cricket. His average of 30.63 ranks him 17th.It is also worth noting that these numbers have been boosted by an unbeaten 84 against the USA and 33 against Zimbabwe, two relatively weak opponents.
Suryakumar Yadav’s record as Indian T20 captain. (Graphic: TimesofIndia.com)
At the other end of the spectrum are an unbeaten 82, an unbeaten 57 and an unbeaten 63 against the New Zealand national cricket team. Those innings bought him time and some time off during the T20 World Cup cycle, but a poor return after the tournament and into IPL 2026 didn’t help his case.“You look at the form in the last two years, but he was doing well as India’s captain. We didn’t do much deliberately, but at some stage we were going to look ahead,” Agarkar said on the decision to bring in Iyer ahead of Surya Kumar.Shreyas does not. 4 his own place
Top scorers at No. 4 in the last three IPL seasons. (TimesofIndia.com)
Making the selectors’ job easier was the fact that Surya Kumar had not made the number 4 his own in recent times.In IPL 2024-26, Iyer has overtaken Suriya to the fourth position. While Iyer scored 885 runs at an average of 49.16 and a strike rate of 161.79, Surya scored 839 runs at an average of 49.35 and a strike rate of 162.28.For records, Ryan Prag (1,147 runs) and Rajat Patidar (1,044 runs) have better returns in this position. It is worth mentioning that despite leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL titles, Patidar is yet to make it to India’s T20I squad.A closer look at the recently concluded IPL season further strengthens Iyer’s case.
Top Scorers at No. 4 in IPL 2026 (Photo: TimesofIndia.com)
After Klaasen (499 runs) and Patidar (448), Shreyas Iyer had the most devastating numbers. 4 Batsmen in IPL 2026 He scored 439 runs at an average of 48.77 and a strike rate of 169.49. Surya, meanwhile, struggled, scoring just 210 runs at an average of 26.25 and a strike rate of 145.83.While Shreyas hit 34 fours and 27 sixes for a total of 61 fours, Surya hit just 19 fours and nine sixes, totaling 28 fours.One could argue that India have won titles since Suryakumar Yadav became the T20 captain, but if the focus is on building towards 2028, the lack of runs cannot be ignored. And this is where Shreyas Iyer outshines Mr. 360.
