‘Suriya gave me inputs’: Shreyas Iyer reveals Suryakumar Yadav’s advice ahead of England series

New Delhi: Team India, under the captaincy of new T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer, will begin the next leg of their UK tour with a five-match T20I series against England, hoping to bounce back from a disappointing tour of Ireland.India went into the two-match T20I series against Ireland as favorites but suffered a horrific 2-0 defeat. This was Iyer’s first stint as captain of a T20I side, and he will now look to turn things around when India take on England in the opener at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.

Speaking about the Ireland series, Eyre admitted the team did not get the start they wanted, but believes there are a lot of lessons to be taken forward.“Definitely not the start we wanted, but a lot to learn, and coming into new conditions, the majority of the players are playing for the first time in England and Ireland, so it’s a learning curve for them as well. We also have to build that camaraderie where everyone starts supporting and trusting each other, and that will only come with more games that we play,” Iyer said on BCCI.tv.

“I want to take this courageous approach.”

With the England Championship now underway, Iyer wants his team to play fearless cricket and put the opposition under pressure.

“I just love to threaten the opponents. I want to take that aggressive and fearless approach when I step on the field. I want my squad to rally around that mentality that makes the opponents a little afraid of our personality and appearance on the field. That’s what I want everyone in the team to think about because it’s like war for me when I step on the field. I want to win every game and that’s the mentality I want to imbibe in every match. Everyone represents the country and wants us to challenge the opponents as well,” Iyer said.

The 31-year-old also said that the team is starting a new journey despite India’s success in the previous T20 World Cup.“I think Gauti bhai mentioned in one of his interviews that we are world champions. This is a completely new chapter starting where I am the captain and we are starting from scratch again,” he said.

On the advice of Rohit and Surya

Iyer also spoke about the support he received from Rohit Sharma and former T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav.Iyer replaced Suryakumar as India’s T20I captain after the latter led the team to another T20 World Cup title.

However, a decline in batting form and the long-term plans of the selectors led to a change in leadership.“Interacting with Rohit Sharma, it is as if you are having a conversation with your brother. He is the kind of personality who has also helped me in my domestic career. So it was always easy to interact with him,” Iyer said.“And Suriya (Suryakumar Yadav), again, is a similar character. I have played a lot of domestic cricket with him and before he came here he gave me inputs on how the management would be, how the players would be in that particular situation.”

So yeah, definitely decent interaction and a lot to learn at the same time.”

Sincere Iyer greetings on Doctor’s Day

Iyer also paid tribute to the doctors who helped him recover from the serious injury he suffered during the 2025 tour of Australia in Sydney. The injury caused him a fractured spleen and internal damage that required critical medical care.On Doctor’s Day, the India captain thanked the medical team who helped him return to cricket.“Injury can make you realize how quickly life can change,” Iyer said. “I am so grateful to the doctors and medical teams who helped me get back to health, strength and the sport I love.”

“They stood by me during one of the most difficult stages of my life,” he said. “Dedicating my second birthday to healthcare professionals is my appreciation to the people who made my return possible.”