Amid growing discussions surrounding India’s T20I leadership ahead of a busy white-ball calendar, former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim has weighed in on the debate over who could eventually succeed Suryakumar Yadav as the national side’s captain. With India set to play T20I series against Ireland and England before defending their Asian Games gold medal later this year, leadership succession has become a major talking point.
While several established names have emerged as potential candidates, Karim believes the selectors could have multiple options to consider. The former cricketer highlighted the importance of recent performances, leadership credentials and the ability to handle pressure while identifying three players who could be in contention for the role.
Saba Karim picks three contenders for India’s T20I captaincy
Speaking on JioStar, Karim named Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan as strong candidates to replace Suryakumar in the future. Among the trio, Iyer appears to be one of the most experienced leadership options available. The Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper enjoyed an excellent IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 498 runs in 14 matches at an average of 55.33 and a strike rate of 168.81. He also possesses significant captaincy experience, having previously led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the IPL title while guiding both Delhi Capitals (DC) and Punjab Kings to IPL finals.
“I think Shreyas Iyer would be one of those candidates. But I also have Sanju Samson and, in fact, Ishan Kishan in mind. I believe there will be two or three strong contenders to take over the captaincy,” Karim said.
Kishan, meanwhile, enjoyed a stellar season with Sunrisers Hyderabad (KKR), amassing 602 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 182.42. The wicketkeeper-batter also gained valuable leadership exposure after serving as SRH’s interim captain during part of the tournament. Indian wicket-keeper batter Samson, who had a wonderful outing in India’s successful ICC T20 World Cup, could also be among the leading contenders for the captaincy role.
Rajat Patidar emerges as a surprise contender
Karim also added another intriguing name to the conversation, i.e., Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar. The former India cricketer praised Patidar’s calm leadership style and pointed to his remarkable achievement of guiding RCB to back-to-back IPL titles. According to Karim, managing a dressing room filled with international stars and experienced campaigners is no easy task, making Patidar a genuine contender despite not yet making his T20I debut for India.
“I would like to add Rajat Patidar’s name as a contender for captaincy. Winning back-to-back IPL titles is a very tough assignment, and he has done that in a very calm and assured manner,” Karim stated.
Patidar enjoyed another productive IPL season in 2026, scoring 501 runs at a strike rate of 192.69 while leading RCB to consecutive championships.
Karim rules out Hardik Pandya as frontrunner
While discussing possible successors, Karim also addressed the possibility of Hardik Pandya reclaiming the leadership role. However, he suggested that the all-rounder may not currently be at the front of the queue. Karim pointed to questions surrounding Hardik’s recent leadership record and overall form. Mumbai Indians (MI) endured a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign, finishing ninth in the standings, which further weakened his case according to the former selector.
“I think the selectors have raised question marks over Hardik Pandya’s leadership skills. Even on current form, I don’t think he would justify his position as the captain of the Indian side,” Karim concluded.
With India’s next T20I assignment scheduled against Ireland later this month, discussions around the team’s long-term leadership structure are likely to continue as the selectors evaluate their options for the future.
