Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer. (Photo Source: Twitter)
The way Shreyas Iyer has led his troops of the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 has been both inspirational and charismatic, especially in light of his exclusion from Team India’s contract by BCCI earlier this year and his subsequent omission from the T20 World Cup 2024 squad. It’s worth noting that during his first season with the franchise in 2022, KKR finished in seventh place, raising questions about his leadership, followed by a back injury that ruled him out of IPL 2023.
Throughout this season, Iyer demonstrated a composed demeanor and keen instincts, skillfully managing his resources and deploying his bowlers strategically during high-pressure situations. Former Indian cricketer and ex-KKR star, Robin Uthappa, remarked that given KKR’s dominant IPL triumph and their impressive navigation throughout the tournament, he believes Iyer would be the future captain of Team India. Uthappad reckons that Iyer is even ahead of current Gujarat Titans’ skipper Shubman Gill, who has long been touted as Rohit Sharma’s successor.
Uthappa pointed out that Iyer, having been shaped by the tutelage of strong leaders like Gautam Gambhir, Chandrakant Pandit, and Abhishek Nayar, has developed a resilient character and an indomitable spirit, in tandem with the capacity to lead a team effectively.
“I’m going to say it here. He’s going to be the future India captain. I think he’s next in line, maybe even ahead of Shubman Gill. He’s got the character and wherewithal to handle a team. I think there’s a lot he has learnt this season. You’ve got to understand that he was working with Gautam Gambhir, Chandrkant Pandit, and Abhishek Nayar – three very strong personalities,” stated Uthappa, while speaking on JioCinema.
He has done that with utter dominance: Uthappa on Iyer
The former Indian cricketer noted that making independent decisions and asserting oneself with influential mentors like those mentioned above was no easy task. However, Iyer has done that with exceptional perfection and that too throughout the season. That, according to Uthappa, highlighted Iyer’s strong character and made him a prime contender for the future captaincy of Team India.
“You have to navigate your way through these strong personalities throughout the season while having your way, and learning on the run. That’s not easy to navigate through an entire IPL season while performing, giving your best and making the right calls. He has done that with utter dominance. That tells you a lot about his character and what he believes he is capable of. I think because of that, he sets himself up in the right space to be in the conversation for the next Indian captain,” added Uthappa.