Ravi Shastri endorses Sanju Samson as a strong candidate to succeed Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain ahead of the 2028 T20 World Cup. Samson's impressive performance in 2026 has bolstered his case for the role.
Key points
Sanju Samson is a frontrunner to replace Suryakumar Yadav as T20I captain.
Samson's stellar 2026 form puts him in contention.
Ravi Shastri supports Samson as the new Indian skipper.
Sanju Samson is one of the frontrunners to replace Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain.
Samson's stellar 2026 form puts him in contention.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri puts his weight behind Samson as new Indian skipper.
Sanju Samson frontrunner to replace Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain
India's T20I captaincy might change hands, and if it happens, Sanju Samson is being to get the nod to replace Suryakumar Yadav as the new leader of the pack.
Dainik Jagran earlier reported that Samson is currently the leading candidate to take over the reins. The change in guard is on the cards and could potentially take place as early as the upcoming series against Ireland and England in the summer.
Suryakumar Yadav, who led India to their third T20 World Cup title earlier this year, has experienced a poor batting form, which has led the selectors to consider a replacement. In the ongoing IPL 2026 season, he has scored just 195 runs across 11 matches, averaging a modest 17.72 at a strike rate that has not even crossed the 150-mark.
Q&A
Why does Ravi Shastri support Sanju Samson for T20I captaincy?
Ravi Shastri believes Sanju Samson's outstanding form in 2026 makes him a clear choice to replace Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain.
What are Sanju Samson's achievements in 2026?
Sanju Samson had a stellar performance in 2026, which has positioned him as a frontrunner for the T20I captaincy.
Who is currently the T20I captain of India?
Suryakumar Yadav is the current T20I captain of India, but his position is being challenged by potential successors like Sanju Samson.
When is the next T20 World Cup scheduled?
The next T20 World Cup is scheduled for 2028.
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His numbers in the T20 World Cup 2026, which India won under his captaincy, were not particularly convincing either.
Samson, on the other hand, enjoyed a dream run at the World Cup, especially since India's last Super 8 clash against West Indies. He scored three consecutive half-centuries and played a key role in India lifting the trophy.
In the ongoing IPL season, Samson is CSK's highest runscorer and has already scored two centuries for his new franchise.
Ravi Shastri backs Sanju Samson as SKY's successor before T20 World Cup 2028
Amid reports of Samson possibly replacing SKY at the helm in the shortest format, former India coach and broadcaster, Ravi Shastri has now put his weight behind the Kerala-born wicketkeeper batter.
Shastri opined that appointing Samson as the new leader of the Indian T20I side should be a no-brainer given his current run of form and his experience in international and domestic Indian cricket.
"India, come the next (T20) World Cup (in 2028), might be looking for a new captain, depending on how Surya goes over the next couple of years. But Sanju Samson has put himself there for a leadership role because he's done that in the past for Rajasthan (Royals)."
"And he's a certainty in the side, at the top of the order, extremely destructive. So I see him, this is just the start of something more you'll see from Sanju over the next two or three years. I think he (Samson) has put a lid on all those question marks. There was always ability. People would, in fact, be disappointed because he wouldn't do justice to that ability."
He added: "But my word this season, the way he's played after his performance in the T20 World Cup where single-handedly he almost won India games, the big games, the quarter-finals (West Indies, Super 8), semi-finals, the final, and the way he stepped up and the maturity he's showing now in the IPL, makes him a clear case as far as I'm concerned for leadership in the future."
The Cricket News Opinion: Sanju Samson deserves to lead India
If India decides to change their T20I captain, Samson is the right man to lead them in the future. The 31-year-old has shown that he can hold himself together when the stakes are highest, which is precisely the quality you need in a captain, especially at a grand stage like the World Cup.
Sanju has also patiently waited for his moment under the sun, having made his India debut almost a decade ago, although he only got his due in the last few years. Now, with consistency on his side, no other player deserves the India captaincy more than the CSK star.
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