'Watching you closely': Suryakumar Yadav sends message to Shreyas Iyer post captaincy change

Former India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav may have lost his spot in the team, but on Saturday, he wished the team and Shreyas Iyer all the best for the future. Suryakumar has shared the dressing room with Iyer for many years in domestic cricket. He also congratulated 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on his maiden India call-up ahead of the tours of Ireland and England.

“Very happy that a Mumbaikar is going to lead in T20Is. Wishing you all the luck. The boys are amazing and will definitely respond well to your ideas,” Suryakumar said in a post on his Instagram Stories, alongside a picture of him hugging Iyer.

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“Be yourself. I am watching you closely,” he cheekily concluded.

SKY’s tenure as India’s T20I captain came to an end on Saturday after the selectors’ meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.

Earlier, Suryakumar also extended his best wishes to the newly announced Indian squad and had special praise for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became the youngest player ever selected for the Indian men’s team in any format. Congratulating the youngster, Suryakumar said, “You’ve truly earned this opportunity. I’m excited to watch your journey unfold.”

Sooryavanshi's selection comes on the back of a sensational IPL 2026 campaign in which he emerged as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 776 runs. The left-handed batter scored at a staggering strike rate of 237.30 and smashed a record 72 sixes during the season, establishing himself as one of the most exciting young talents in world cricket.

Under the leader of Shreyas Iyer, India will first play 2 T20Is against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28, then will move on to the 5-match series against England from July 1 to 11.