How did Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav Fared in their India T20I Captaincy Debuts?

Shreyas Iyer has made a horrific start to his stint as India's T20I captain, as India suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Ireland on Friday (June 26).

Iyer has made a shocking start as a batter as well, as he could only manage 3 runs in the chase. Iyer, who took over captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav, will be hoping to turn things around in the upcoming matches.

India has produced exceptional T20I captains, each bringing their unique style to the role. Virat Kohli’s intensity, Rohit Sharma’s calmness, and Suryakumar Yadav’s explosive leadership have defined modern Indian cricket. Their captaincy debuts in the shortest format offer a fascinating glimpse into how they handled the pressure of leading the Men in Blue for the first time.

Virat Kohli – January 26, 2017 vs England, Kanpur

Kohli took over as full-time T20I captain from MS Dhoni ahead of the home series against England. In his debut match at Green Park, India batted first and posted 147/7. England chased it down comfortably, winning by 7 wickets with 11 balls to spare.

Kohli scored 29 off 26 balls. It was a steady but not explosive knock on a tricky surface. India eventually won the series 2-1.

Rohit Sharma – December 20, 2017 vs Sri Lanka, Cuttack

Rohit got his first taste of T20I captaincy as stand-in skipper while Kohli was rested. India posted 180/3 and bowled out Sri Lanka for 87, winning by a massive 93 runs — one of India’s biggest victories by runs at the time. India swept the series 3-0.

Opening the innings, Rohit scored 17 off 13 balls. The bowlers, led by Yuzvendra Chahal, did the real damage.

Suryakumar Yadav – November 23, 2023 vs Australia, Visakhapatnam

Following the 2023 ODI World Cup final loss, Suryakumar was named stand-in captain for the series against Australia. In a high-scoring thriller, Australia posted 208/3. India chased it down with 209/8 in 19.5 overs, winning by 2 wickets in a last-over finish. India went on to win the series 4-1.

SKY delivered a captain’s knock of 80 off 42 balls (9 fours, 4 sixes) and was named Player of the Match. He steadied the chase and powered India to victory.