Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 87 off 41 against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 wasn’t just a great T20 innings. It was a statement, for a man who's done everything but walk into a BCCI meeting with a PowerPoint titled "Why I Should Be India Captain”.
Iyer’s another match-winning knock, another finals berth, prompted former India cricketer Robin Uthappa to scream on social media: “He has to!! He’s that good!!”
“I’ve said this time and again and I’ll say it AGAIN!! Iyer will captain India in multiple formats!! He has to!! He’s that good!!” Uthappa posted in X.
Iyer has transformed Punjab Kings; a side long stuck in mediocrity, into genuine title contenders. Just a year after doing the same with Kolkata Knight Riders. Just like he did in 2020 with Delhi Capitals.
Three IPL teams. Three finals. One title. A Champions Trophy for India in between. Across formats, across conditions, across squads — the one constant has been Shreyas Iyer posing questions to his non-selection.
No hype. No stat-padding. Iyer is doing what selectors claim to love: winning matches, lifting trophies, and leading under pressure. And he’s doing it everywhere.
In 2025 alone, he took PBKS — a team which hasn’t been to the knockout stages since 2014 — all the way to the IPL final, cracking 603 runs at a strike rate north of 175. He made 87* in a virtual semi-final against MI, ending their mythical 19-0 record of defending 200+ totals in playoffs.
Before that, he led India to a Champions Trophy title, topping the team’s run charts with 243 in five games, including crucial knocks against Pakistan and New Zealand. In the final, while others floundered, he anchored the chase — 42 runs in 68 balls on a tricky Dubai pitch.
Still, his name was missing from the Test squad for the England tour later this year.
It can’t be form. His domestic season had been solid, his IPL spectacular. It wasn’t fitness as well. He played every game, leading from the front.
Iyer’s relationship with the cricket board hasn't exactly been rosy. After opting out of a Ranji game in the previous season, he found himself dumped from the BCCI central contract list.
A year later, after winning the Ranji, SMAT and Irani titles for Mumbai with consistent performance, he was reinstated.
It’s no longer a debate of ‘if’. It’s a question of how long India can afford to look past someone who keeps delivering under the spotlight. With the Kohli-Rohit era winding down, the leadership void is no longer a future problem — it’s a present one. And India needs someone reliable, battle-tested, and already leading from the front.
India’s next-gen cricket stars are here, and Iyer’s already mentoring half of them. He moves up and down the order without a fuss. He hits spin like a dream and pace when needed.
He’s aggressive but rarely reckless. And he wins with whatever team he gets.
Robin Uthappa may have wrapped it in emojis, but his message couldn’t be clearer.
“He has to. He’s that good.”
