Shreyas Iyer’s sister wrote a heartfelt note after India’s T20I captain gave the nod
Shreyas Iyer’s sister Shresta Iyer took to social media to congratulate the batsman after he was named the captain of the Indian T20I team and shared a lengthy account of his journey through setbacks, injuries and eventual successes.
Posting on Instagram, Shresta described the meeting as a a milestone in Iyer’s career and highlighted the challenges he overcame to reach one of the highest positions in Indian cricket.
“Where do I even begin?” she wrote. “What am I saying about your journey… from being a boy who just loved cricket to becoming the captain of Team India?”
The post quickly gained attention from fans, and Shresta spoke about the sacrifices and struggles she says are often overlooked in a player’s success on the field.
“People see success today, but very few people know what it took to get here. Few people know the sacrifices, the struggles, the disappointments and the battles that you silently waged within yourself,” she said.
Shresta also referred to injury setbacks that interrupted Iyer’s progress at various stages of his career. The Mumbai batsman has endured several injury lay-offs in recent years but has steadily worked his way back into contention for places across India’s white-ball formats.
Recalling those times, she wrote, “Even after three major injuries when we were struggling and wanted to cry, you simply smiled and said, ‘Yaar, main theek hoon (Mate, I’m fine). Main ekdum mast hoon (I’m doing great). Main fit hoon (I’m fit and ready).'”
The honor comes after a career that has seen Iyer go through several highs and lows at the international level. Once a regular in the Indian Test side, the right-hander eventually lost his place in the red-ball setup and also found himself out of contention in the T20I format. Questions surrounding his ability against short-pitched bowling have often become the subject of debate, forcing him to restate his case for national selection.
However, Iyer continued to impress in domestic and franchise cricket, establishing himself as one of the country’s most respected leaders. He led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the IPL title in 2024, before that he led Delhi Capitals (DC) to the final in 2020 and Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the summit in 2025.
His performances with the bat further enhanced his credit. Iyer amassed 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 during IPL 2025 before backing it up with 498 runs at a strike rate of 168.81 in IPL 2026, underscoring his value in the shortest format.
Shresta added that her brother earned the captaincy through perseverance and self-belief.
“You’re standing here today not because someone handed it to you, but because you earned every bit of it. Through hard work, determination and an unshakable belief in yourself.”
Among the most shared lines from the post was her comment that “not everyone could survive your journey”, a reference to the challenges Iyer overcame on his journey to captaincy.
The Instagram post ended with a message of optimism for the future.
“You did it Shreyasi. And somehow I know this is just the beginning. The best is yet to come.”
Iyer will now begin a new chapter in his career as India’s T20I captain, the selectors are putting their faith in a player whose leadership record and recent performances have made him one of the most prominent figures in Indian white-ball cricket.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
07 Jun 2026 20:47 IST