How Indian captains have fared after 6 T20I matches [Source: AFP]Eyebrows were raised when the BCCI selectors snatched Suryakumar Yadav’s T20I captaincy and dropped him from the T20I team as well. The hard-hitting batter became just the third skipper to help India win the T20 World Cup, and he was rewarded by having his captaincy taken away.In his place, Shreyas Iyer, who had done well with the Punjab Kings in the IPL, was appointed the T20I captain. Despite a sudden leadership change, a section of the Indian fans were still optimistic, and Team India was touted to beat Ireland and England in the recently concluded series.However, disaster struck in Iyer’s first assignment as India’s captain. India lost six out of the seven games played, with Ireland crushing them 2-0 and England winning 4-0. Iyer’s first 6 Fully-completed matches ended without a win.In this article, we take a look at other Indian captains’ records and how they fared after their first 6 matches as India’s T20I captain.(Note: the rain-curtailed IND Vs ENG 1st T20I won't be counted since no result was possible).1) MS Dhoni (3-1)It was the 2007 T20 World Cup, and MS Dhoni was given command of the Indian T20I team. Not a lot was expected of him, but MSD delivered the goods and helped the Men in Blue win the coveted tournament.Interestingly, in MSD’s first six matches as India’s T20I captain, he won 3, lost 1, had a washout in one game, and another contest was tied.The opening match against Scotland was a washout, before the group stage match against Pakistan was tied. India then lost to New Zealand in the Super Six stage, but then came back to beat England and South Africa to book their place in the semis.In the semis, the MS Dhoni-led side defeated the Australian side to book their ticket to the final.2) Virat Kohli (4-2)MS Dhoni stepped down from the white-ball captaincy post in early 2017, and Virat Kohli was appointed as the leader of the side. His first six matches yielded positive results as India won 4 and lost just 2 games.In Kohli’s maiden game as India’s T20I captain, the Men in Blue suffered a defeat against England. However, Kohli and his boys roared back to clinch the next two matches.In July 2017, he led India in the one-off T20I game against West Indies, and the Asian side lost the contest. However, India then defeated Sri Lanka in the only T20I match, and thumped the Aussies in Ranchi to have a 4-2 record.3) Rohit Sharma (5-1)Rohit Sharma had one of the best starts as India's T20I captain, as he won five games, and lost just a solitary contest. Before becoming the full-time captain, Rohit led India sporadically during Kohli's absence, and he was one of the best in the business.His first captaincy assignment was a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in December 2017. The former captain started his tenure with a 3-0 whitewash of the Lankan Lions.Also Read: Shreyas Iyer Equals MS Dhoni In India’s Most Difficult Achievement In T20IsIn early 2018, Rohit led India against South Africa in Cape Town, and India once again recorded a comfortable win in the T20I. However, he suffered his first loss in the Nidahas Trophy tournament as India suffered a defeat against Sri Lanka.The Men in Blue then thrashed Bangladesh in the next T20I as Rohit started his T20I tenure with 5 wins out of 6.4) Hardik Pandya (5-0)In his first six matches as the India T20I captain, Hardik Pandya had a dream start as India won five matches and had one tied game. His journey started with a 2-0 win against Ireland in Dublin in 2022. It was then followed by a win against West Indies in the fifth T20I at Lauderhill.His journey started with a 2-0 win against Ireland in Dublin in 2022. It was then followed by a win against West Indies in the fifth T20I at Lauderhill. He then led India in the away series against New Zealand, and the first T20I of the series was abandoned, while India won the second game.The third match of the series in Napier ended in a tie, and Hardik’s sixth full-fledged match was against Sri Lanka in January 2023, and India won that game by two runs.5) Suryakumar Yadav (4-2)Suryakumar Yadav’s first-ever assignment as India’s T20I captain was the home series against Australia, and India won 4-1. India won the first two matches before the Aussies bounced back to clinch the third match. However, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side won back-to-back games to clinch the series.The team then travelled to South Africa and while the first T20I was abandoned, India suffered a defeat in the second game of the series.Also Read: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Who Scored 8 Off 7, Attacks Teammate Mohammad Nabi For Scoring 90 Off 52
