Shreyas Iyer has finally received the recognition he deserves, as the 30-year-old has been named the new vice-captain of the Indian ODI team. Never one to seek the spotlight, Shreyas Iyer has quietly gone about his work, letting his performances speak for themselves.A lot was said about Shreyas Iyer missing out on the Asia Cup.
I was one of the many who felt he deserved a chance. And I still believe the same. Having said that, it is great to see the BCCI giving him the responsibility of being Shubman Gill’s deputy in the ODI set-up. Shreyas Iyer, it has to be said, is a serious leader and has the record to prove it. To win the IPL isn’t easy and Iyer has done that with KKR. He followed it up with a superb effort for the Punjab Kings and has a proven pedigree as captain and leader. Clearly Gill will find it helpful with Iyer being there to help him and back him up.
When the Indian squads for the Australia tour were announced, the headlines were dominated by Shubman Gill’s appointment as captain and Rohit Sharma stepping back into a non-leadership role. Virat Kohli’s return to the ODI squad generated its usual buzz, followed by questions around Jasprit Bumrah’s workload and speculation on Hardik Pandya’s return timeline.
All of these were undeniably newsworthy, but one significant development quietly slipped under the radar: Shreyas Iyer being named vice-captain of the ODI team — a move that many believe was long overdue.
For Shreyas Iyer this is a big call. To know that the selectors look at him at a leader and possible captaincy candidate is a big step ahead for him. It should give him confidence and make things much easier going forward. While he just plays one format for India at the moment, it can be surmised that he will do all to try and make the T20 team in the future.
With a relatively fragile body, taking a break from red ball cricket isn’t all that bad for Iyer. If the choice is between being sidelined or just play white-ball, the answer is a no brainer. Shreyas Iyer should focus on the white-ball formats and achieve what he is capable of. More so with a ODI World Cup under two years away. Former Indian player now cricket expert Robin Uthappa believes that In future Shreyas Iyer would be seen as a leader of any one of the white ball team of India.
Robin Uthappa predicts Shreyas Iyer to be the skipper in one format in future ahead of Aus series 2025
Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has made a huge claim that Shubman Gill will not be an all-format India captain despite taking over from Rohit Sharma in Tests and ODIs. The cricketer-turned-commentator believes that the 25-year-old will have to earn his spot in T20Is while predicting that Shreyas Iyer will be the next captain after Suryakumar Yadav in the shortest format.
The remarks came even as Gill was named vice-captain in T20Is ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. Interestingly, Shreyas Iyer has not played in T20Is since December 2023. The 30-year-old, however, led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to IPL 2024 glory and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the IPL 2025 final.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Uthappa said:
“I get One Day and Test cricket, and I think he’s a solid pick in Test cricket, and he’s shown us that as well. As far as ODI cricket is concerned, I think his numbers are good, but I think they’ll get better for a player of his caliber. I think they will look at Shreyas Iyer as a captain in T20. Shubman Gill, he still has to earn that spot.”
While keeping Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson in fray, Uthappa further added that the second opening slot is still open with Gill failing to deliver in the 2025 Asia Cup. He further reiterated that Gill is not a guaranteed captain in T20Is. The 39-year-old continued:
“Especially when have Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting in the wings, Sanju Samson’s spot being shifted, Shreyas Iyer not being a part of the side, waiting in the wings as well. I wish his Asia Cup went better for him for his sake because now Abhishek has run with that one opener slot. Now, the second opener slot is still very much open. As far as I am concerned, Yashasvi can be someone who can come up there. Sanju can certainly come up there.”
“I still think Gill needs to secure his spot first. So, I don’t think it will be taken for granted in a sense where he will be captain or he will be next in line.”
“We know and we’ve seen Indian cricket changes overnight; things change very quickly, narratives change very quickly. Honestly, vice-captaincy in India doesn’t mean very much… Like, you’ve seen a bunch of vice-captains not becoming captain, right?” he added.
Notably, Gill managed 127 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 151.19 at the 2025 Asia Cup with the best score of 47. For years, Shreyas Iyer was one of India’s most reliable performers in the ODI format, yet he always seemed on the edge of being sidelined — a dependable figure who somehow remained outside the core narrative of Indian cricket.
The shift began with the England Test tour in 2024, when a dip in form led to Shreyas being dropped from the squad. The blow was compounded when the BCCI revoked his central contract, citing his lack of participation in domestic cricket. It was a harsh message. But the Mumbai batter responded in the only way he knows — through performance. He led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title, the second team he had taken to the final in his career after Delhi Capitals.
Still, recognition didn’t come easily. KKR let him go, and Shreyas entered the IPL auction once again. This time, he was picked up for big money by the Punjab Kings — a team long seen as underachievers in the tournament’s history. Under his leadership, they reached the final, continuing a pattern: wherever Shreyas Iyer goes, results follow.
His numbers in that campaign were staggering. 604 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07 — statistics that would make a compelling case for selection in any T20I side. But with Shreyas, things are rarely straightforward.
Despite his stellar IPL season, he was left out of the Asia Cup 2025 squad — not just the playing XI, but completely absent, even from the reserves. At one point, even his ODI spot appeared to be under threat. In a revealing moment during the ODI series against England just before the Champions Trophy, Shreyas Iyer admitted that he only got a game in the first match because of a last-minute injury to Virat Kohli.
But Shreyas Iyer never made noise about it. He simply did what he’s always done — perform. In the Champions Trophy, he finished as India’s top scorer, racking up 243 runs in five matches. While applause often stayed out of reach, Shreyas Iyer kept building his case on the back of solid, consistent output.
Most recently, in the India-A vs Australia-A series, he captained the side with composure and intent, scoring a hundred in the first match and following it up with a crucial half-century. Over the years, his presence has been a common thread in teams that succeed — and now, finally, the credit seems to be catching up with the contributions. Now that the emotional narrative has been addressed, what does Shreyas Iyer’s appointment mean tactically for the Indian ODI team?
Shreyas occupies one of the most critical positions in India’s batting order — the No.4 slot — a position that has troubled the team for years. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, he brought balance and reliability to that spot, amassing 530 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 113.24. His aggressive yet calculated style allowed India to post imposing totals and provided breathing room for a lower order weakened by Hardik Pandya’s injury absence.
At No.4, Shreyas has scored 1,821 runs in 41 matches at an average of 52.02 — elite numbers in this format and role. His importance will only grow during the Australia tour and in future assignments, particularly with limited opportunities to prepare for the next ODI World Cup. His presence as vice-captain also offers new skipper Shubman Gill a safety net — someone with leadership experience and tactical acumen to help guide the team, especially on days when stalwarts like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli may not fire.
Add to that his fielding — Shreyas is easily one of the best in the squad — and his captaincy experience in the IPL, and the decision to elevate him starts making sense beyond sentiment.With Shreyas as vice-captain, some of the on-field burden is lifted off Gill. The 30-year-old is now a fixed part of the ODI setup and can act as a steady hand during pressure moments, making sure Gill isn’t stretched too thin trying to manage everything at once.
Now that Shreyas has finally received official recognition, there’s a sense that a weight has been lifted. The vice-captaincy is not just a title — it’s an acknowledgement of years of quiet consistency, of resilience in the face of neglect, and of leadership shown without being asked. He has always carried himself like a leader. Now, he has the title to match.
Gill will face a stiff challenge to begin his ODI captaincy stint, with India playing Australia in a three-match series, starting October 19. He impressed in his first assignment as Test captain in the recent five-match series in England, with India pulling off a 2-2 draw.
Shubman Gill has won three, lost two, and drawn one out of his six Tests as India captain so far. He will be leading for the first time in ODIs during the Australia tour. Team India’s white-ball tour of Australia will begin with the three ODIs on October 19. They will play five T20Is following the ODI series.
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