Shreyas Iyer's entry in T20I side as captain questioned by ex-India player; this star termed as better captaincy option

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned the Indian team management for bringing Shreyas Iyer into the T20I side straightaway as the captain of the Indian team. Manjrekar has called it an 'interesting choice' from the selectors but offered another candidate who he thought was a better option to take over the reins of the team from Suryakumar Yadav.

Iyer, who has not played a T20I since December 2024, was appointed India captain in the format for the tours to England, Ireland and the Asian Games. The right-hander was rewarded for his consistent performances with the bat in the Indian Premier League and for his captaincy in the competition.

More from Firstcricket

However, Manjrekar's opinion is very different from the Indian team management.

'Gill has better credentials than Iyer'

“Shreyas Iyer is a very interesting choice. He wasn't able to get a place in the T20 squad for the last few months. But now, straightaway, India's T20 captain. When you pick a player or make him the captain or vice captain you've got to also make sure that that player fits into the squad and has got a confirmed place in the squad," Manjrekar said on Sony Sports Network.

"That is where I think should been Shubman Gil has missed out because I think Gill has better credentials than Shreyas Iyer to be India's long-term T20 captain,” Manjrekar added.

Manjrekar also believes that even though Gill is not in the T20I team right now, the day is not far when he returns to the side.

“T20S will now be played away from India, Ireland, England, two venues and eventually the World Cup will be in Australia and New Zealand, and I believe Gill was better suited to take that responsibility, but that's only a cricketing thought. But how do you fit Gill in the playing 11 because you've got two openers already doing so well with Sooryavanshi as your third option? So they've gone for a captain who they could fit in the playing 11. Because Gill is an opening batter, he lost out on that opportunity or that appointment, but his time is not too far,” he added.

Gill was brought back into the Indian T20I side ahead of last year's Asia Cup and made the vice captain. However, he could not cash in in the chances that he got, leading to his axing just before the T20 World Cup.