Shreyas Iyer, India’s T20I captain, stated on Sunday that he has always enjoyed overcoming obstacles as a child and that his current role as the nation’s captain in the shortest format does not need him to alter his nature.
Iyer, 31, took over as captain of the Indian T20I team on Saturday, succeeding Suryakumar Yadav, who had guided the country to victory in the T20 World Cup in March. Iyer stated that he would prefer to stay the same person who was raised in a difficult Mumbai cricket atmosphere.
“I don’t have to change my personality. I have to be the same person how I was before, and not try to be someone else or be under someone’s shadow. I obviously loved challenges growing up, especially being from Mumbai, where the cricket is pretty big, competition is high. Every other kid on the street, they want to represent Mumbai,” PTI quoted Iyer as saying at an event in Mumbai.
He claimed that he was always focused on winning over everyone he faced.
“My mindset was always about winning, against everyone that I challenged so whether it’s about learning or winning that is secondary, but more fun you have growing up, the more competitive nature you have, especially while you play cricket or any other sport in general,” said Iyer.
“I think that takes you to another level and you want to take that sort of responsibility (and) even when I’ve got this job right now, or a responsibility as a captain., It’s a great challenge at the same time,” he said.
Iyer has earned the position of captain of the national team, according to former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.
Before losing his berth, Iyer played the final of his 51 Twenty20 Internationals in December 2023. He is scheduled to captain India for two Twenty20 Internationals in Ireland.
As a like-for-like replacement for former captain Suryakumar Yadav, who was also cut from the Indian squad, the right-handed batsman enters the side as a middle order batsman.
“Shreyas has done well, he has earned it. I would not say that the removal of Suryakumar Yadav is unfair. The selectors have made a decision,” Ganguly said.
