India's remarkable streak of 16 consecutive T20I series victories came to an abrupt end after suffering a shocking 2-0 series defeat to Ireland in Belfast. The reigning world champions were comprehensively outplayed by a spirited Irish side, which had never beaten India in the shortest format before the series. The loss also marked a disappointing start to Shreyas Iyer's tenure as India's T20I captain.
After losing the opening game, India needed a victory in the second T20I to keep their unbeaten series record intact. However, Ireland once again outclassed the visitors with disciplined performances in all departments, sealing a historic series win on home soil and registering their first-ever T20I victories over India.
The unexpected defeat quickly sparked widespread criticism on social media, with fans questioning several of India's tactical decisions. Much of the attention was directed towards head coach Gautam Gambhir, who faced backlash for not including teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the playing XI despite India's struggles with the bat.
Supporters argued that the youngster's fearless approach could have provided the spark India lacked during the series. Many took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration, with several posts suggesting the team management had missed an opportunity to inject fresh energy into the batting lineup.
The defeat is a significant setback for India, who had dominated bilateral T20I series over the past few years and entered the Ireland tour as overwhelming favourites. Instead, Ireland produced one of the biggest upsets in their T20I history, exposing India's vulnerabilities and handing Iyer an early challenge in his new leadership role.
