Shreyas Iyer: I don’t have to change my personality for responsibility as a captain

Newly appointed Indian T20I captain Shreyas Iyer says he will rely on his competitive Mumbai cricket roots to guide his leadership. Former BCCI Chief Sourav Ganguly backed the appointment, calling it an earned opportunity for the 31-year-old

Mumbai: India’s newly appointed T20I skipper, Shreyas Iyer, on Sunday stated that he has always thrived on challenges growing up, adding that the responsibility of leading the national team will not force him to alter his personality.

The 31-year-old Iyer was named captain of the Indian T20I squad on Saturday, succeeding Suryakumar Yadav, who memorably led the national team to the T20 World Cup title in March.

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Iyer emphasized his desire to remain true to the roots he developed while navigating Mumbai’s highly competitive grassroots cricket ecosystem. “I don’t have to change my personality,” Iyer said at a media event. “I have to be the same person I was before, and not try to be someone else or play under anyone’s shadow. I loved challenges growing up, especially coming from Mumbai where cricket is massive and the competition is fierce. Every other kid on the street wants to represent Mumbai.”

He noted that his core philosophy has always centered around a relentless winning mindset. “Whether it is about learning or winning, having fun growing up and maintaining a competitive nature takes you to another level. You naturally want to take on that sort of responsibility. Even though I have this job and responsibility as a captain right now, it is a challenge I am looking forward to,” he added.

Meanwhile, former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly backed the appointment, stating that Iyer has fully earned the leadership role.

Iyer, whose first assignment will be leading India in a two-match T20I series in Ireland, played the last of his 51 T20Is in December 2023 before losing his spot in the shortest format. The right-handed batter returns to the middle order as a direct replacement for Suryakumar Yadav, who was omitted from the squad.

“Shreyas has done well; he has earned it,” Ganguly noted. “I would not say that the removal of Suryakumar Yadav is unfair. The selectors have made a strategic decision.”