Virat Kohli is one of four Indian captains to have lost their T20I debut match. Shreyas Iyer recently joined this list after Ireland stunned India by 34 runs in Belfast on Friday.
What happened?
Iyer's first outing as India's T20I captain ended in defeat, with Ireland recovering from 51 for 4 to post 182 for 9, thanks to captain Lorcan Tucker's 50 and Gareth Delany's 49.
India's chase never gained momentum despite Abhishek Sharma's explosive 50, and they were eventually bowled out for 148 with seven balls to spare.
Why it matters for Virat Kohli
Kohli's first match as T20I captain ended in defeat against England at Kanpur in 2017, and he is now part of an unfortunate list that includes Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill.
Historic return overshadowed by historic defeat
Iyer had entered the match with a remarkable record, returning to India's T20I side after missing 63 consecutive matches since his previous appearance against Australia in December 2023.
At 31 years and 202 days, he became the third-oldest player to make his T20I captaincy debut for India, behind Shikhar Dhawan and Suryakumar Yadav.
Ireland's debutants steal the show
Ireland's debutants proved to be the difference, with Jai Moondra claiming 2 for 25 and Matt Hollard impressing with 3 for 28 to trigger a batting collapse.
The result marked Ireland's first-ever win over India in men's international cricket, and it will be remembered as one of the greatest victories in their cricket history.
Iyer also became the most experienced T20 captain before making his India captaincy debut, having led 114 T20 matches across franchise and domestic cricket, ahead of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul.
The loss will be a setback for India, but they will look to bounce back in their next match, with Virat Kohli and other senior players expected to play a key role in the team's recovery