Complete list of every Indian captain who lost their very first T20I match in charge

For the first time in 19 years, India suffered a defeat to Ireland in T20 Internationals after losing the first T20I of the two-match series in Belfast on Friday (26th June 2026). It was also a disappointing start for Shreyas Iyer, who returned to India's T20I side after almost three years and led the team in place of T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav.

India's batting lineup failed to make an impact as Ireland secured a historic 34-run victory in front of their home crowd. The loss marked a forgettable beginning to India's new T20I era under Iyer.

Not only Shreyas Iyer, but surprisingly, even one of India's greatest captains, Virat Kohli, could not win his first T20I as skipper. Since India's first T20I in 2006, only four Indian captains, including Iyer, have lost their maiden T20I in charge. MS Dhoni's first match as T20I captain ended without a result, while every other Indian captain started with a win.

Through this article, let's take a look at the complete list of every Indian captain who lost their first T20I match in charge.

List of Indian Captains who lost their maiden T20I in charge:

4. Rishabh Pant (India vs South Africa, Delhi, 2022)

Rishabh Pant takes the fourth spot on this list. The wicketkeeper-batter was named India's stand-in captain for the five-match T20I series against South Africa after regular skipper KL Rahul was ruled out with an injury just before the opening game. At 24, Pant became one of India's youngest T20I captains.

Pant's first match as captain came in the opening T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on June 9, 2022. India produced a brilliant batting display and posted 211/4 in 20 overs, which was then their highest T20I total against South Africa. Ishan Kishan led the charge with 76 off 48 balls, while Pant played a quick knock of 29 from just 16 deliveries.

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However, India's bowlers failed to defend the big total. South Africa chased down the 212-run target with five balls to spare, finishing on 212/3 in 19.1 overs. Rassie van der Dussen remained unbeaten on 75 off 46 balls, while David Miller smashed an unbeaten 64 off 31 balls to guide the visitors to victory.

It was a disappointing start to Pant's captaincy as India lost despite scoring more than 200 runs. The defeat also made him one of the few Indian captains to lose their maiden T20I match in charge.

3. Shubman Gill (India vs Zimbabwe, Harare, 2024)

Shubman Gill takes the third spot on this list after losing his maiden T20I match as India's captain. Fresh from India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, Gill was handed the captaincy for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, marking the beginning of a new leadership phase. Although his captaincy started with a defeat, he guided India to a commanding 4-1 series victory.

Gill's first match as captain came in the opening T20I in Harare. India's bowlers did well to restrict Zimbabwe to 115/9 in 20 overs, with Ravi Bishnoi starring with brilliant figures of 4/13 and Washington Sundar picking up 2/11. Chasing a modest target of 116, India suffered a shocking batting collapse and were bowled out for just 102 in 19.5 overs. Gill top-scored with 31, while Washington Sundar added 27, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to deliver.

The 13-run defeat was a disappointing start to Gill's captaincy. However, he quickly turned things around as India bounced back to win the remaining four matches of the series, sealing a dominant 4-1 triumph over Zimbabwe.

2.  Virat Kohli (India vs England, Kanpur, 2017)

Virat Kohli takes the second spot on this list after losing his first T20I match as India's full-time captain. Having already established himself as India's Test and ODI skipper, Kohli took charge of the T20I side for the first time in the opening match of the three-game series against England in Kanpur on January 26, 2017. The defeat also made him the first Indian captain to lose his debut match in all three international formats.

Batting first, India posted 147/7 in their 20 overs. MS Dhoni remained unbeaten on 36 off 27 balls, while Suresh Raina scored 34 off 23 deliveries. Kohli contributed 29 runs from 26 balls before being dismissed by Moeen Ali.

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Chasing 148, England reached the target comfortably in 18.1 overs with seven wickets in hand. Captain Eoin Morgan led from the front with 51 off 38 balls, while Joe Root stayed unbeaten on 46 off 46 deliveries.

The seven-wicket defeat was a disappointing start to Kohli's T20I captaincy. Despite the early setback, he went on to become one of India's most successful captains in the shortest format, leading the team to several memorable victories during his tenure.

1. Shreyas Iyer (India vs Ireland, Belfast, 2026)

Shreyas Iyer tops this list after becoming the latest Indian captain to lose his maiden T20I match in charge. The BCCI appointed Iyer as India's captain for the Ireland series, replacing T20 World Cup-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav. It was India's first T20I assignment after lifting the 2026 T20 World Cup, but Iyer's captaincy began on a disappointing note.

Asked to bowl first in Belfast, India reduced Ireland to 51/4 before Lorcan Tucker and Gareth Delany turned the game around. Tucker scored a composed 50 off 36 balls, while Delany smashed 49 off 32 to help Ireland post a competitive 182/9. Harshit Rana was India's standout bowler with figures of 3/24. Chasing 183, Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start with a 19-ball half-century, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to build partnerships. Captain Shreyas Iyer managed just 3 runs off 7 balls as India were bowled out for 148, handing Ireland a historic 34-run victory.

The defeat marked India's first-ever loss to Ireland in T20 Internationals and made it a forgettable start to the Shreyas Iyer captaincy era. After the match, Iyer admitted his team had fallen short and called for a much better performance in the second and final T20I of the series.

Only four Indian captains have lost their maiden T20I match in charge since India played their first T20I in 2006. Shreyas Iyer is the latest name on that list, joining Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni's first match as T20I captain ended without a result, while every other Indian captain started with a win.

However, a poor start does not decide a captain's future. Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant all bounced back after their opening defeat, and Iyer will now hope to do the same. With one match still left in the Ireland series, he has a chance to respond and help India finish the tour on a positive note.