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Shreyas Iyer is the first and only captain in the history of the Indian Premier League to qualify for the final with two different franchises, and he also led Mumbai to the SMAT 2024 title.
Dinesh Karthik feels Shreyas Iyer has great chance of becoming India captain. (Picture Credit: Sportzpics, AFP)
Shreyas Iyer is all set to play for India in the upcoming three-match ODI series against England as well as the ICC Champions Trophy. The home series against England is set to start on February 6 in Nagpur, and the 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will be played from February 19 to March 9. Iyer is a regular member of India’s 50-over side, and he scored more than 500 runs in the ODI World Cup 2023.
The 30-year-old right-handed batter from Mumbai, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL and Mumbai to Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy title win in 2024, is seen as a captaincy candidate for India by many fans and former greats of the game.
According to former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, there’s a great chance of Iyer taking charge of Team India in the future if he manages to secure his place in the Indian ODI team on a consistent basis.
“I don’t think so (if Iyer is being overlooked as captain). I’ll say why. Because the moment he is sure of making it to the XI consistently, there’s a great chance he’ll be a captain. ‘Is he captaincy material?’ 100%. He is. No doubt about it,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz’s HeyCB with DK show.
Reacting to a fan question in which she asked if BCCI is ignoring Iyer, Karthik said he doesn’t think so because he is part of the Champions Trophy squad.
Iyer last played a Test match for India against England in Visakhapatnam from February 2-5, 2024, and his last T20I as an Indian cricketer was against Australia in Bengaluru on December 3, 2023.
Despite his long absence from India’s T20I team, Iyer is in huge demand in T20s, the proof of which is the Rs 26.75 crore deal, which he managed to secure from Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 mega auction, which was held in Jeddah on November 24, 2024.
Iyer, who is the second most expensive player in IPL history, will lead the Preity Zinta-owned side in the 2025 edition of the IPL, which is reportedly set to start on March 21 in Kolkata.
