Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has thrown his full support behind Sanju Samson as the ideal candidate to succeed Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain, calling it a "clear case" for leadership change ahead of the T20 World Cup 2028 cycle.

The winds of change could be blowing through India's T20I setup. With Suryakumar Yadav's recent struggles with the bat—just 195 runs in 11 IPL 2026 matches at an average of 17.72—selectors are reportedly considering a shift at the helm. SKY's numbers during India's victorious T20 World Cup 2026 campaign were also less than convincing, opening the door for a new leader.

Enter Sanju Samson. The wicketkeeper-batter has been in scintillating form, both internationally and in the IPL. During the T20 World Cup, Samson turned heads with three consecutive half-centuries from the Super 8 stage onward, playing a pivotal role in India's title triumph. In the current IPL season, he's CSK's highest run-scorer and has already smashed two centuries for his new franchise.

Reports from Dainik Jagran suggest Samson is the frontrunner to take over the captaincy, with a potential change as early as the upcoming series against Ireland and England this summer. Now, Shastri's endorsement adds significant weight to that speculation.

"There's a clear case for Sanju Samson to be India's next T20I captain," Shastri remarked. "His form, his maturity, and his ability to lead from the front make him the obvious choice to build towards the next World Cup."

For fans and followers of Indian cricket, this potential transition signals an exciting new chapter. Samson's aggressive batting style and calm demeanor under pressure could be exactly what the team needs to evolve their T20 approach. Whether the BCCI pulls the trigger remains to be seen, but the momentum is certainly building in Samson's favor.