There has been reported tension between India's new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Gautam Gambhir after the team's disappointing tour of Ireland. The partnership has endured a difficult start following India's 2-0 T20I series defeat, which ended the team's 16-series winning streak in bilateral T20Is.
The Men in Blue suffered their first bilateral T20I series defeat since 2023 after losing both matches in Belfast. India lost by 34 runs in the opening game before suffering a one-run defeat in the second T20I. Shreyas Iyer's side will have to bounce back in the five-match T20I series in England, which begins on July 1.
Gautam Gambhir Has the Final Say - Report Claims Shreyas Iyer Has Limited Role in Team Decisions
According to a report by Cricblogger.com, Shreyas Iyer currently has limited influence over key decisions in the Indian team. The report claimed that head coach Gautam Gambhir is leading most tactical and selection calls.
"Even after winning the toss, it is Gambhir who appears to have the final say on what the Indian team will or will not do," a source said.
The report also pointed to team selection decisions during the Ireland series. India did not hand Vaibhav Sooryavanshi his international debut and continued with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma as the opening pair.
Washington Sundar played the first T20I despite struggling with both bat and ball. He was later replaced by debutant Suryansh Shedge for the second match.
Gautam Gambhir Had No Option But To Accept Shreyas Iyer - Report on Captaincy Appointment
The report claimed that Gambhir was not in favor of Shreyas Iyer becoming India's T20I captain. It stated that the head coach preferred Sanju Samson or Ishan Kishan for the role.
The report also claimed that Gambhir had pushed for Washington Sundar's inclusion over Shreyas during the T20 World Cup. However, the BCCI reportedly informed him that the selectors alone decide the captaincy.
"So, Gambhir had no option but to accept Shreyas as India's T20 captain," another source said.
India Face Tough Questions After Ireland Series Defeat
India's first T20I series under new captain Shreyas Iyer ended in disappointment with a 2-0 defeat to Ireland in Belfast. It was also their first bilateral T20I series defeat since 2023.
Iyer became the first Indian captain to lose a T20I match against Ireland and later the first to lose a T20I series against them. Before this tour, India had won all eight of their previous T20Is against Ireland, making the defeat even more disappointing.
Iyer also became only the second Indian captain after Rishabh Pant to lose his first two T20Is in charge. Pant suffered the same fate against South Africa in 2022.
Iyer joined Shikhar Dhawan as only the second Indian captain to lose his maiden T20I series. Dhawan's side lost 2-1 to Sri Lanka in 2021 after a COVID-19 outbreak disrupted the squad.
India now have very little time to regroup before the England tour. With a stronger opponent waiting, the team management will need to review its selection decisions and fix the issues exposed during the Ireland series.
