Hours after replacing Suryakumar Yadav as India T20I captain, Shreyas Iyer leads side to victory over SKY

NEW DELHI: Shreyas Iyer's first day as India's new T20I captain could hardly have unfolded in a more dramatic fashion.

Hours after the BCCI announced Iyer as Suryakumar Yadav's successor at the helm of the national T20 side, the two Mumbai stalwarts faced off in the T20 Mumbai League. By the end of the evening, it was the newly-appointed India skipper who had the final say, leading SoBo Mumbai Falcons to a five-wicket victory over Suryakumar's Triumph Knights MNE.

While Suryakumar produced a trademark cameo of 48 off 24 balls, smashing three fours and four sixes, Shreyas responded with a commanding 61 off just 36 deliveries, decorated with five boundaries and four sixes, to steer his side to victory in style.




Shreyas answers with the bat
Batting first, Triumph Knights MNE managed 147 for eight, with Suryakumar once again providing the spark. The former India T20 captain looked in sublime touch and appeared set for a bigger score before falling two short of a half-century.

However, Shreyas ensured the spotlight remained firmly on him. Introduced as an Impact Substitute for SoBo Mumbai Falcons, the 31-year-old played a captain's knock, pacing the chase expertly as his side crossed the finish line with five wickets in hand.

The contest took on added significance after chief selector Ajit Agarkar and the selection panel decided to hand Shreyas the captaincy for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England, bringing an end to Suryakumar's stint just months after he guided India to the T20 World Cup title.

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Warm hug, warm words from Suryakumar
Despite the dramatic change in leadership, there was no sign of bitterness between the two long-time Mumbai teammates.

Before the match, Suryakumar and Shreyas shared a warm embrace, reflecting a friendship built over years of representing Mumbai and India together.

Speaking at the toss, Suryakumar publicly backed his successor and called the appointment a proud moment for Mumbai cricket.

"Very, very, very happy for Shreyas as he's getting to lead the T20 Indian team. We played a lot of cricket together in Bombay. Three back-to-back Mumbai captains are going to lead T20s for India. It's a very proud moment and everyone needs to celebrate that," he said.



Earlier in the day, Suryakumar had also wished the Indian team success on social media and congratulated teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on earning his maiden India call-up.

The selectors admitted that removing Suryakumar from the captaincy was a difficult call, especially after his World Cup triumph earlier this year. But with an eye on the next T20 World Cup cycle, they opted for a fresh leadership direction and placed their faith in Shreyas' credentials and consistency.