Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer (PTI Image)
New Delhi: Chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Saturday categorically stated that Shreyas Iyer has come close to earning a place in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup earlier this year.“With Suriya still there, there was no room for him. So he is, in my opinion, a standout candidate with enough experience now, having led the T20 format.
“This is obviously a different challenge,” Agarkar told the media after the Mumbai batsman was announced as India’s new T20I captain.
For some time, Shreyas was playing the waiting game. Having last represented India in the shortest format in December 2023, he has been knocking on the door. Over 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 (2073 runs), Sai Sudharsen (2008), Shubman Gill (1808), KL Rahul (1590), Heinrich Klaassen (1590) and Abhishek Sharma (1486) have scored more.
It is also worth noting that, with the exception of Klaassen, all of them open the batting to their respective franchises.Meanwhile,
Suryakumar Yadav
who led India to T20 World Cup glory a few months ago, has seen his career dry up.Over the last three years, Suriya has scored 1,332 runs in the IPL at an average of 39.17 and a strike rate of 163.23, with five ducks. He enjoyed an outstanding performance in IPL 2025, where he amassed 717 runs at a strike rate of 167.91.However, innings in international cricket have also dried up.
If he averaged 43.60 before becoming full-time India T20 captain in July 2024, that number has since dropped to 25.88. Once a prolific batsman and bowler, his strike rate has also dropped significantly, from 168.75 to 152.03.
How Shreyas Iyer has outperformed Suryakumar Yadav over the past three years. (Image: NotebookLM)
Last year, across 30 matches, Suriya scored 674 runs at an average of 30.63 and a strike rate of 148.78. The number includes only four fifties, not hundreds.Among players who have appeared in at least 25 T20Is during this period, that number places him 20th in world cricket.
His average of 30.63 places him 17th.It is also worth noting that these numbers are boosted by an unbeaten record of 84 goals against the United States and 33 goals against Zimbabwe, two relatively weaker opponents.
Suryakumar Yadav scored as India’s T20I captain. (Graphic: TimesofIndia.com)
At the other end of the spectrum, there are 82 unbeaten, 57 and 63 unbeaten, all against the New Zealand national cricket team. These innings bought him time and some leeway during the T20 World Cup cycle, but poor returns after the tournament and in IPL 2026 did not help his cause.“You look at the form over the last two years, but he has been performing well as India’s captain. We didn’t trade much, but at some point we were looking forward,” Agarkar said of the decision to field Iyer ahead of Suryakumar.Shreyas makes the No. 4 position his own
Top 4 top run-scorers in the last three seasons in the IPL. (Times Of India.com)
Making the selectors’ task easier is the fact that Suryakumar has not made the No.4 position his own in recent times.Across IPL 2024-26, Iyer has overtaken Surya for the fourth spot. While Iyer scored 885 runs at an average of 49.16 and a strike rate of 161.79, Surya managed 839 runs at an average of 49.35 and a strike rate of 162.28.For the record, Rayan Parag (1147 runs) and Rajat Patidar (1044 runs) have better returns in this position. It is worth noting that despite leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL titles, Patidar is yet to cement his place in the Indian T20I squad.A closer look at the recently concluded IPL season strengthens Iyer’s case.
Highest run-scorers at No. 4 in IPL 2026. (Photo: TimesofIndia.com)
After Klaasen (499 runs) and Patidar (448), Shreyas Iyer was the No. 1 most devastating player.
4 in IPL 2026. He scored 439 runs at an average of 48.77 and a strike rate of 169.49. Meanwhile, Suriya struggled, managing 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 boundaries, Suriya managed only 19 fours and nine sixes, for a total of 28 boundaries.One could argue that India have won titles since Suryakumar Yadav’s rise as 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.