India failed to win a single T20I on their recent tour to Ireland and England.
The Indian team ended their tour of the UK without a single win and after losing 6 T20Is, with one game getting rained out. India finished their T20I series against England with a thumping loss, losing the fifth and final T20I by 56 runs in Southampton.
England, after being asked to bat first, went all guns blazing on the Indian bowling attack and posted 257/3 in 20 overs. Jos Buttler top-scored with 131, hitting 12 fours and 8 sixes, while Brook remained unbeaten on 95 with 8 sixes and 4 fours.
In response, Kishan made 56 with 7 fours and 2 sixes, while Tilak Varma made 53 with 3 fours and 4 sixes. But the task was too much for Indian batters as England bowlers bowled a tight line and didn’t give much away to Indian batters. India only managed 201/8 in 20 overs and lost the game by 56 runs. England picketed the series by 0-4.
Some have suggested that Iyer should be replaced as the team's captain in the shortest format by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee due to the disappointing results.
Abhishek Nayar, a former assistant coach for India, acknowledged that the team needs guidance moving ahead but contended that dismissing Iyer as captain would be unfair and may cause mayhem.
"When you give someone the mantle of taking over from a champion side, you also want to give him the liberty of picking his side. The first time you become captain, you don't get the liberty of saying, 'This is where I want to take the team.' You first handle the team and then see what you need to do with it. After these two series, he'll have time to reflect and understand what he requires from this team, how he needs them to play, and what he needs from the support staff. So, it would be harsh to say that Shreyas Iyer's future as a captain is in jeopardy," Nayar said during a chat with JioHotstar.
This was Shreyas Iyer’s first tour as India T20I captain, and he returned to the fold after 2023. As a result, Nayar asked the management to be patient with a guy who has guided his teams to two straight IPL finals, winning one of them.
This series has been an eye-opener for them. Whether playing in Ireland or England, it is rare to see a T20 format where teams have so relentlessly targeted you with short balls. Almost every batter was tested with that. It just tells you that England was better prepared than the Indian team, and most importantly, India failed to adapt. I think Australian conditions will be different. India has predominantly done well in Australia because the ball comes onto the bat. There is not as much spongy bounce as they experienced in England. It's a good wake-up call and a solid reflection of what this team needs to do to win abroad. Come the World Cup, you'll find a much better-equipped team. A lot of batters will go back and start working on the short ball immediately,” Nayar stated.
Nayar warned selectors and the BCCI not to make too many changes and cuts. Rather, he wants the management, led by Gautam Gambhir, to properly communicate with the players and identify areas that need improvement.
"Axar Patel has been highly successful for India because he could drift the ball back in. But T20 cricket is also about form. When you don't see that drift, it usually has something to do with his action or the volume of cricket he's played. Axar has bowled so many tough overs now that it was easy for England to target him. He will find his form shortly, but India has also not been very consistent with their spinners. Kuldeep Yadav picks up wickets but has been in and out, while Varun Chakaravarthy has had a rough couple of months with injuries. Sairaj Bahutule and the support staff need to work with these guys with the future in mind, rather than discarding them. Tell the players what you expect from them and where you want them to get better. When you lose, you need to create direction, not chaos,” Nayar concluded.
Shreyas Iyer’s next assignment as India captain will be the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.