‘Thoda Bohot Deserving’ – Sanjay Manjrekar’s Surprising Take on Shreyas Iyer’s Appointment as India’s T20I Captain

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has shared an interesting perspective on Shreyas Iyer‘s appointment as India’s T20I captain for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England. While acknowledging Iyer’s leadership qualities, Manjrekar suggested that the Punjab Kings skipper emerged as a “convenient” option after the selectors decided to move on from Suryakumar Yadav in the shortest format.

India entered a crucial transition phase following the conclusion of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. With multiple leadership candidates in contention, the selection committee eventually handed the captaincy responsibilities to Shreyas Iyer ahead of experienced campaigners like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan.

Manjrekar Calls Iyer a Convenient Choice

Speaking on Sony Sports Network, Manjrekar explained why he found Iyer’s appointment fascinating, considering the batter had not featured in India’s T20I setup since 2023.

“Just imagine, someone who could not be in the T20I squad, he comes straight in as a captain. So, this is quite a fascinating case. It is good for Shreyas Iyer, but such captaincy appointments did not happen in the past because only one captain was appointed those days, and they used to think for 10 days for that. It is a very convenient choice, thoda bohot deserving bhi (also a little bit deserving), Shreyas Iyer, so be it,” Manjrekar said.

The former India batter also revealed that his personal preferences for the role would have been either Jasprit Bumrah or Shubman Gill. However, he believes Iyer benefited from the vacancy created in India’s middle order following Suryakumar Yadav’s omission.

Why Shreyas Iyer Was Chosen

Despite his absence from T20I cricket in recent years, Iyer possesses an impressive leadership record in the Indian Premier League. The right-handed batter has consistently demonstrated strong tactical awareness and leadership skills while captaining Punjab Kings.

Additionally, Iyer currently serves as India’s ODI vice-captain and was the T20I vice-captain during his last appearance in the format against Australia in 2023, making him a familiar face within the leadership group.

Manjrekar Raises Concerns About Selection Culture

Manjrekar also questioned the Indian cricket system’s willingness to make bold selection decisions, particularly when it involves high-profile players.

“If there is a popular and iconic player, it becomes difficult to drop him at the right time based on cricketing merit. That happens in Australian culture and in the English culture. Here the thinking is, ‘What will people say?’. I am not going to reveal his name, but once upon a time, all selectors wanted a player to be dropped, as they felt he had played a lot, but nobody had the courage to tell that player,” he added.

The comments come at a time when the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee continues to make significant decisions regarding India’s future leadership structure and squad planning ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.

New Era for India’s T20I Team

Shreyas Iyer now faces the challenge of leading India into a new era of T20 cricket. With important series against Ireland and England on the horizon, his performance as captain will be closely monitored as India begins preparations for future ICC tournaments.

While opinions remain divided over his appointment, Iyer’s leadership experience and proven record in franchise cricket provide him with a strong opportunity to establish himself as India’s long-term T20I captain.