Gargi Raut
Another era of transition has begun in Indian cricket with Shubman Gill being named the captain of the ODI squad for the 50-over series in Australia. Ajit Agarkar explained the timing of the move, “It is really difficult to have three different captains for three different formats”, he said in a press conference, in Ahmedabad, on Saturday. While Gill took over the reins of the team, Shreyas Iyer was named his deputy.
Iyer has had a tumultuous couple of years, being left out of the central contracts and having trouble making a comeback into the Indian setup. But with his impressive performances with the bat in the Indian Premier League and his leadership skills, he has swiftly arrived onto the scene again.
He was named the captain of the India A Test side against Australia A, but to everyone’s surprise the flamboyant batter returned home after the first game. The reason being a back injury that didn’t allow Iyer to play the longest format of the game. Iyer was also not a part of the Indian squad for the Asia Cup, which led many to believe that the batter is once again being deliberately snubbed by the management. But him being named the vice-captain of the Indian team for the important three-match ODI series against Australia later this year only confirms that the Indian management has put their faith in him.
In fact, from the pattern we’ve observed with the Indian think-tank, the new philosophy seems to revolve around giving players clarity and a long rope to prove themselves before they are dropped from the team.
It’s clear that the Indian management is focused on the future and not the legacies. Building a team around India’s new ‘almost’ all-format captain Gill and Iyer is the perfect leader in the pipeline. From what we’ve seen so far with Gill’s captaincy, there’s still some work to do. In that backdrop, Iyer is the perfect backup for the young leader. From being left out of central contracts to returning as India’s ODI vice-captain, Shreyas Iyer’s journey has come full circle.
For a player who was once viewed as an outsider, who’s battled injuries, criticism, and uncertainty, his comeback marks his redemption. With a young captain in Gill and a new vision taking shape, Iyer’s second act could define not only his own career but India’s next era of leadership.
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