Shreyas Iyer to lead India in T20I series against England, seeks fearless approach

NEW DELHI: Team India, under new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, will begin the next leg of their United Kingdom tour with a five-match T20I series against England, hoping to bounce back from a disappointing tour of Ireland. India went into the two-match T20I series against Ireland as favourites but suffered a shocking 2-0 defeat. It was Iyer's first assignment as T20I captain, and he will now look to turn things around when India face England in the opening match at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday. Reflecting on the Ireland series, Iyer admitted the team did not get the start they wanted but believes there are plenty of lessons to take forward. "Definitely not the start that we wanted, but a lot to learn, coming into new conditions, majority of the players playing for the first time in England and Ireland, so it's a learning curve for them as well. And also we have to build that camaraderie where each and everyone starts supporting and trusting each other and that will only come through the more amount of matches we play," Iyer said on BCCI.tv.

'Want to have that fearless approach'

With the England series now underway, Iyer wants his team to play fearless cricket and put the opposition under pressure. "I just like to be menacing to the opponents. I want to have that aggressive, fearless approach when I step onto the field. I want my troops to rally around that mindset where the opponents are a bit intimidated by our personality, by our appearance on the field. And this is what I want each and every individual in the team to think about because it's like a war for me when I step onto the field. I want to win every match and that's the mindset I want to imbibe in each and every individual representing the country and wanting us to challenge the opponents as well," Iyer said. The 31-year-old also said the team is beginning a new journey despite India's success in the previous T20 World Cup. "I think Gauti bhai mentioned in one of his interviews that we were world champions. This is a new paragraph which starts altogether where I am the leader of the team and we are starting from zero again," he said.

On Rohit and Surya's advice

Iyer also spoke about the support he has received from Rohit Sharma and former T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. Iyer replaced Suryakumar as India's T20I captain after the latter led the team to another T20 World Cup title. However, a dip in batting form and the selectors' long-term plans resulted in the change in leadership. "Interacting with Rohit Sharma, it's like you're just having a chat with your brother. He's that sort of a figure who has also helped me in my domestic career. So it's always been easy to interact with him," Iyer said. "And Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), again, similar character. I've played with him a lot of domestic cricket and just before coming here he gave me inputs about how the management is going to be, how the players are going to be in this certain situation. So yes, definitely decent interaction and a lot to learn at the same time," he said.

Iyer's heartfelt tribute on Doctor's Day

Iyer also paid tribute to the doctors who helped him recover from the serious injury he suffered during the 2025 Australia tour in Sydney. The injury left him with a broken spleen and internal damage, requiring critical medical care. On Doctor's Day, the India captain thanked the medical team that helped him return to cricket. “An injury can make you realise how quickly life can change. I’m deeply grateful to the doctors and medical teams who helped me return to health, strength and the sport I love,” Iyer said. “They stood by me during one of the most challenging phases of my life. Dedicating my second birth date to healthcare professionals is my tribute to the people who made my comeback possible,” he said.