Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer has the tactical skills to lead the Indian team in England but warns that his biggest test will be scoring runs with the bat.

Shreyas made his return to India’s T20I team as captain in the recently held Ireland tour. His captaincy stint got off to a disastrous start as the Men in Blue suffered a 0-2 whitewash in Belfast. The right-hander also failed with the bat, registering scores of 3 and 10.

Speaking on JioStar, Pujara said Iyer must prove himself in the middle order and score runs in English conditions.

He also addressed the excitement around 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying the teenager is unlikely to debut right away as India's established top order is already very strong.

"It is going to be challenging for Shreyas Iyer to become the third Indian skipper after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to win a T20I series in England. There is no doubt about that. Playing in English conditions, even with better white-ball pitches, is still a different kind of challenge. Shreyas is leading the Indian team for the first time, and he is playing T20Is after a two-year gap. So, the challenge is real," Pujara stated.

Despite those challenges, Pujara expressed confidence in Iyer's leadership credentials, highlighting his impressive IPL record.

"But as a captain, I don't have doubts about him. He has done a great job with Punjab Kings in the IPL, and that is why he has been given this role. He is a proactive leader, leads from the front, and gives freedom to his players. So, as a captain, he should be fine," he added.

However, Pujara reckons that Shreyas Iyer's success as the new T20I captain depends entirely on his batting.

"The real test will be with his batting. He will have to prove himself in the middle order and deliver in English conditions," he remarked.

The first match of the five-T20I series between India and England will be played in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday (July 1).

(With IANS Inputs)