Shreyas Iyer has also emerged as one of India's best performers this year, providing consistent performances both overseas and in the IPL. The elegant right-hander from Mumbai was in top form in the ICC Champions Trophy that was played a few months ago, where he finished as India's top scorer in the tournament. Iyer took the momentum into the season of IPL 2025 as well, playing a crucial role for Punjab Kings and proving himself across all formats.

During the just concluded IPL, Iyer accumulated an impressive 604 runs in 17 matches and took Punjab Kings to their first IPL final in more than a decade. Though they fell short of winning the championship, Iyer's captaincy as well as batting effort was widely appreciated. His leadership and consistency have now put him in the limelight, and there are strong indications that he has entered the fray to become India's next white-ball captain.

As per a June 7 report by Indian Express, a top Indian cricket official confirmed that Iyer's name is in contention. "Right now he just plays ODIs, but after this IPL we can’t keep him out of T20 internationals and even Tests," the report quoted. His leadership qualities, along with his run-scoring talent, make him an interesting candidate in the post-Kohli and post-Rohit era.

A leadership contender in transition

In spite of his robust IPL credentials, Iyer has not yet captained the Indian senior team in any format. He won an IPL title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and also guided Punjab Kings to the final this year—acts that have cemented his reputation as a born leader. He was still surprisingly omitted from India's Test squad for the coming series against England, however, in light of the retirement of senior pillars.

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Having recently switched allegiance to SoBo Mumbai Falcons in T20 Mumbai 2025, Iyer's next task with the national side will arise in August when India visit Bangladesh to play three ODIs and three T20Is. With selectors eager to rebuild and reshuffle captaincy choices, Iyer's increasing profile makes him a strong favorite to lead India's white-ball future.