Shreyas Iyer is yet to register a win as India's full-time T20I captain.
Shreyas Iyer, who replaced T20 World Cup-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav last month, is still searching for his first victory as India’s T20I captain.
Iyer’s stint got off to a disastrous start as the Men in Blue suffered a humiliating 0-2 series defeat to Ireland. The performance went downhill in England, with India failing to register a win after three outings in the five-T20I series.
While the series opener against England ended in a frustrating no-result due to rain, India were outclassed in the second and third T20Is by four wickets and 125 runs, respectively.
Amid the intense scrutiny, former India opener Wasim Jaffer defended Shreyas Iyer's captaincy struggles, noting that replacing an ICC title-winning skipper brings immense pressure.
"I think Shreyas will be under pressure as he has come in with a lot of hype. The way we have been dominating in white-ball and are world champions, after IPL, we have not won a single game. He will be under stress as he is the new captain, replacing an ICC-winning captain. So it was a big and bold decision," Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.
Jaffer reckons Shreyas is still adjusting to the demands of leadership and will soon realize "what to say and what not to say" in the public spotlight.
Notably, Iyer had faced major backlash for his comments after Ravi Bishnoi gave away 29 runs in an over during the Manchester T20I, which included consecutive no-balls hit for sixes by Jacob Bethell.
The skipper stated that India had a "phenomenal score" on the board, but pinned the match-turning momentum shift directly on Bishnoi's costly no-balls, telling critics to "pinpoint that one over". Fans and analysts accused him of throwing the leg-spinner under the bus.
"That pressure will be there if things are not going well. In such moments, such statements also come out. We have to understand that he is under a lot of pressure. He will realise what to say and what not to," Jaffer added.
Jaffer highlighted that the intense subcontinent scrutiny demands rapid results, and Iyer is still learning how to handle himself in the public domain.
"In the subcontinent, we want the results very quickly, That is the mentality, irrespective of whether we have thought long term or short term. There is a lot of pressure through media or public," he remarked.
India face a must-win situation in the penultimate T20I against England at Bristol on Thursday (July 9) to keep the series alive.