Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Shubman Gill was a stronger long-term candidate for India’s T20I captaincy than newly-appointed skipper Shreyas Iyer, but feels team combination concerns ultimately
worked against the Gujarat Titans captain.
Iyer was named India’s new T20I captain for the upcoming series against Ireland and England, replacing Suryakumar Yadav despite the latter leading India to the T20 World Cup title earlier this year. While Manjrekar acknowledged Iyer’s leadership credentials and remarkable resurgence over the past two seasons with the Punjab Kings, he argued that Gill possessed the stronger overall profile for the role.
Iyer won the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and then took PBKS to the final in 2025, before failing to make the playoffs in 2026. Gill outscored him in all three seasons, while also leading GT to two playoff finishes, including the 2026 final.
Speaking on Sony Sports Network, Manjrekar said captaincy decisions should ideally be built around players who are expected to be central to the team’s plans for years to come.
“Shreyas Iyer is a very interesting choice. He wasn’t able to get a place in the T20 squad for the last few months. But now, straightaway, India’s T20 captain.”
The former India batter added that, in his view, Gill offered a more convincing long-term option.
“When you pick a player or make him the captain or vice-captain, you’ve got to also make sure that that player fits into the squad and has got a confirmed place in the squad and that is where I think Shubman Gill has missed out because I think Gill has better credentials than Shreyas Iyer to be India’s long-term T20 captain.”
Manjrekar also pointed to India’s future challenges away from home, including the next T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, as a factor behind his preference for Gill.
“T20s will now be played away from India and eventually the World Cup will be in Australia and New Zealand. I believe Gill was better suited to take that responsibility.”
However, Manjrekar believes the very factor that should have strengthened Gill’s case ended up hurting it. With several contenders competing for opening spots, including emerging teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, selectors may have found it easier to accommodate Iyer in the middle order.
“They’ve gone for a captain who they could fit in the playing XI. Because Gill is an opening batter, he lost out on that opportunity or that appointment, but his time is not too far.”
Despite backing Gill, Manjrekar reiterated that Iyer’s appointment was well-earned.
