Ricky Ponting says Shreyas Iyer is a leading contender to captain India in T20 Internationals. Speaking about Iyer’s development, Ponting highlights his growing maturity as both a batter and a leader. The outlets report that Ponting views Iyer as having the temperament and experience to handle captaincy responsibilities, even if his performance in the current 2026 season has been mixed so far.
Times of India and India Today both frame Ponting’s comments as an endorsement of Iyer’s future role, with Times of India adding that Iyer could be among the primary candidates for the captaincy job. The reports link this confidence to Iyer’s leadership credentials in the IPL 2026, including captaining a franchise to a final for a third time. Hindustan Times also notes Ponting’s belief that Iyer can respond strongly after the mixed run of results earlier in the season.
