Former cricketers lash out after India's T2O series loss to Ireland

New Delhi: India's loss to Ireland in the T20 International series in Belfast has sent shockwaves across the cricketing fraternity.

The last time India lost a T20I series was against West Indies in August 2023. Since then they'd gone unbeaten, including winning two T20 World Cup titles.

But at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on Sunday, Ireland won the second T20I by one run following their 34-run win in the first to complete a 2-0 sweep, their first-ever bilateral series win over India to become the fifth team ever to sweep India in a T20I series. England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand have beaten India in T20I series before.

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary criticised the team’s management instead of players for failing to take responsibility for the team's recent defeat to Ireland and warned that blame would land on Iyer.

He also questioned the decision of not playing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and instead sticking with all-rounder Washington Sundar for the first game and then playing Suryansh Shedge in the second.

"India might go on to win the World Cup in South Africa. India might also win the T20I series against England. But what about the series loss to Ireland? Who is going to be accountable for it?" Tiwary said in a video on his X account.

"I know that PR agencies and friends of the so-called decision-maker will start pinpointing the blame on Shreyas Iyer," Tiwary added, taking potshots at India coach Gautam Gambhir.

Former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar, now a commentator, pointed out that India needs a middle-order batter, and the Gambhir-led team has “too many” all rounders, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"It was too little earlier …under Gambhir, it’s too many. The ‘all rounders’. India need a PURE middle order batter, pronto," he wrote.

Ireland team celebrates after the series win over India in the T20 International series

Irfan Pathan's reaction after the first defeat was shorter and guarded and he said that he hadn't expected to see the score-line against Ireland.

"Wow. Didn’t thought I will see this Scoreline of team India vs Ireland. Well Played Ireland," he wrote. He was speechless after the second defeat and did not react.

Former India spinner R Ashwin laid the blame on Indian batsmen's inability to handle pitches that aid movement of the ball.

"The Indian batsmen are used to playing on paata (flat) surfaces in IPL.  If the pitch aids [seam and swing] a bit, then it can trouble Indian batsmen. I, for one, enjoyed this kind of game," he added.  

This was Shreyas Iyer's first series as captain since the BCCI handed him the T20I captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav.

India had won the toss in the second T20I and chose to bowl first, stopping Ireland at 154 runs for eight wickets.

Debutant Prince Yadav took 3/22, removing Tucker, Tector and Liam McCarthy, while Shivam Dube broke the Tector-Calitz stand with two wickets in two consecutive balls.

India's chase was weak from the first over, as openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma were removed by Jai Moondra, an India-born software engineer playing his maiden T20I for Ireland, for golden ducks in the same over.

Then Iyer was bowled two overs later, leaving India at 19/3 before the powerplay ended. Tilak Varma fought with 55 before being caught out, leaving the team at 117/7.

Iyer admitted Ireland had read the conditions better, adding that the batting unit fell a bit short. India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate was more blunt, saying the team failed to adapt to the conditions.

Suryansh Shedge and Prince Yadav both got India T20 caps in the series, though only one of them was new to international cricket. Prince had got his maiden international cap when he made debut in ODIs against Afghanistan on June 17. The match against Ireland was his T20I debut. He took 3/22 and hit a six off the last ball.

For Shedge, it was his first game for Team India in any format.

He managed just one run off five balls before being caught at deep midwicket off Matthew Hollard and also went wicketless with the ball.

Tags : Indian cricket, Ireland, Belfast, Ashwin, Shreyas Iyer, Sanjay Manjrekar, Irfan Pathan