Shreyas Iyer makes history with two T20I half-centuries

Shreyas Iyer, India's newly appointed T20I captain, etched his name into the record books on Thursday, July 9, 2026, by becoming the first captain ever to score multiple half-centuries in a bilateral T20I series in England. The milestone came during the fourth match of the series at the County Ground in Bristol, where Iyer was unbeaten on 55 runs. This followed a half-century he scored in the rain-affected series opener in Chester-le-Street.

The individual achievement, however, stands in stark contrast to the team's fortunes under his nascent leadership. Since taking over the captaincy on June 6, India has failed to win any of its first five T20I matches, marking the worst start for any Indian captain in the format's history. The run includes four losses and one no-result, beginning with a 2-0 series whitewash against Ireland and continuing with three consecutive defeats to England. The lowest point came in the third T20I, where India was bowled out for a record-low 76 runs while chasing 202.

The team's prolonged slump has intensified scrutiny on Iyer's captaincy, with many fans and observers questioning whether he was promoted too quickly despite his successful Indian Premier...