Shreyas Iyer’s debut as India’s T20I captain didn’t go as planned, as Ireland pulled off a surprising 34-run victory in Belfast, leaving the world champions stunned. This loss puts Iyer in a rather unfortunate club of Indian captains who have lost their first T20I match. He now shares this experience with Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill, all of whom faced defeat in their initial captaincy outings. While each of them eventually found their footing in leadership roles, their first matches were marked by setbacks. To add to the drama, Ireland celebrated their first-ever men’s international win against India, making Iyer’s debut memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Iyer’s match was significant for several reasons. He made a comeback to India’s T20I squad after a long absence of 63 matches and became the most experienced T20 captain for India before taking the reins of the national team. However, after a shaky start, Ireland managed to recover and set a target of 182/9, ultimately bowling India out for 148 and ensuring that Iyer’s captaincy began on a sour note.
Four Indian Captains Who Lost Their Maiden T20I As Captain
1. Shreyas Iyer vs Ireland, Belfast (2026)
On June 26, 2026, Iyer took the reins as captain for India in his very first T20I match against Ireland at Stormont. India got off to a strong start, reducing Ireland to 51/4. However, Lorcan Tucker turned things around with a solid 50 off 36 balls, and Gareth Delany added 49 off 32, helping the home team reach a total of 182/9. Harshit Rana shone with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 24 runs, while Axar Patel chipped in with 2 for 34. In response to the 183-run target, Abhishek Sharma made a quickfire 49 off just 20 balls, but Iyer could only manage 3 runs. The debutants for Ireland, Matt Hollard (3/28), Matthew Humphreys (3/38), and Jai Moondra (2/25), played a crucial role in securing a historic 34-run victory for their team.
2. Virat Kohli vs England, Kanpur (2017)
Kohli stepped into his role as India’s T20I captain for the first time on January 26, 2017, facing off against England at Green Park. India managed to score 147 runs for the loss of 7 wickets, with MS Dhoni leading the charge with a solid 36 not out, Suresh Raina contributing 34, and Kohli himself adding 29. Moeen Ali was impressive with the ball, taking 2 wickets for just 21 runs. England, however, chased down the target in 18.1 overs, thanks to Eoin Morgan’s 51 and Joe Root’s steady 46 not out. Yuzvendra Chahal picked up 2 wickets for 27 runs, but despite his efforts, India fell short, losing the match by seven wickets.
3. Shubman Gill vs Zimbabwe, Harare (2024)
Gill made his captaincy debut on July 6, 2024, facing off against Zimbabwe. India did a solid job of limiting the hosts to 115/9, with Ravi Bishnoi shining brightly, taking 4 wickets for just 13 runs, and Washington Sundar chipping in with 2 for 11. During India’s chase, Gill led the way with a top score of 31, while Sundar contributed a handy 27. Unfortunately, Tendai Chatara (3/16) and Sikandar Raza (3/25) proved too much for India, and they fell short at 102, giving Zimbabwe a narrow 13-run victory.
4. Rishabh Pant vs South Africa, Delhi (2022)
Rishabh Pant took the reins as captain of the Indian cricket team for the first time on June 9, 2022, stepping in after KL Rahul was sidelined. India set a solid target of 211/4, thanks to Ishan Kishan’s impressive 76 runs, along with contributions from Shreyas Iyer with 36 and Pant himself adding 29. Keshav Maharaj managed to grab 1/43 for South Africa. In response, South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller formed an unbroken partnership, scoring 75* and 64* respectively, as they chased down the target in just 19.1 overs. Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Harshal Patel each took a wicket, but ultimately, India fell short, losing by seven wickets.
