'He’s one of the main contenders': Ricky Ponting backs Shreyas Iyer as future India T20I captain
Ricky Ponting, Punjab Kings coach, believes Shreyas Iyer is a strong contender for India's next T20 captain, potentially even ahead of Suryakumar Yadav. Iyer's impressive IPL 2026 season, marked by captaining his third franchise to a final, highlights his maturity and leadership potential.
Former Australia World Cup-winning captain and current Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting believes Shreyas Iyer has firmly placed himself among the leading contenders to become India’s next T20 captain in the future. Ponting even suggested that the PBKS skipper could eventually emerge as a long-term leadership option ahead of current T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. Iyer, who is leading Punjab Kings in IPL 2026, recently etched his name into the record books by becoming only the fifth captain in IPL history to lead a side in 100 matches.
He joined an elite list featuring MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir. The PBKS captain also holds a unique IPL record, becoming the only skipper in tournament history to guide three different franchises Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings, into an IPL final. Punjab’s IPL 2026 campaign, however, has been a rollercoaster ride.
After beginning the season with a remarkable unbeaten streak, PBKS have endured a dramatic slump, suffering six consecutive defeats, including a recent 23-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The poor run has placed their playoff hopes under serious pressure heading into the final phase of the league stage. Despite the setbacks, while speaking with PTI, Ponting remains highly impressed with Iyer’s growth both as a batter and a leader.
“I think there are several contenders, but he’s one of the main contenders as far as I’m concerned. We saw at the start of the tournament just how good a T20 player he is and where he’s at, both on and off the field right now,” Ponting said. — PTI_News (@PTI_News) The former Australian captain believes Iyer has reached a new level of maturity in his career and is now completely in control of his game.