Mumbai: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has backed Sanju Samson as a potential future captain of India’s T20I side amid growing speculation over Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership position. Suryakumar, who led India to their second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title earlier this year, has faced increasing scrutiny following a dip in form. Reports suggest the Board of Control for Cricket in India could consider a new face for the T20 captaincy ahead of the 2028 World Cup. The Mumbai Indians batter has struggled in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 season, managing just 195 runs in 11 matches. After taking over the T20I captaincy following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format, Suryakumar’s tenure has not been entirely smooth.
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Speaking to presenter Sanjana Ganesan on ICC Review, Shastri said Samson has firmly entered the conversation for India’s future leadership role. “India, come the next T20 World Cup in 2028, might be looking for a new captain depending on how Surya goes over the next couple of years. But Sanju Samson has put himself there for a leadership role because he’s done that in the past for Rajasthan Royals,” Shastri said.
Currently representing Chennai Super Kings, Samson has enjoyed an impressive IPL 2026 campaign after a slow start. The 31-year-old has already scored two centuries this season and accumulated 430 runs in 11 matches, emerging as a strong contender in the Orange Cap race. Shastri also praised Samson’s batting ability, calling him a destructive top-order player and predicting that Indian fans would see even more from him over the next few years.
