Captain Shreyas Iyer's stint at the helm of Team India's T20 side has turned into a rough patch, with the team losing three of the four T20 International matches played under his leadership, while one match could not be completed due to rain. The prolonged slump is now beginning to reflect in the ICC T20 rankings as well, where the rating gap between India and England has narrowed sharply.
Shreyas Iyer still waiting for his first T20I win as captain
Team India is yet to register a single win in T20 Internationals under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy. His stint began with the tour of Ireland, where the team was expected to comfortably win the series. Instead, the results went the other way. India lost the very first match of the series, and the second match also ended in defeat. It marked the first time Team India returned from a series in Ireland without winning a single match. Soon after the Ireland tour, the team moved on to the England tour, where things did not improve. The first match of that series was washed out due to rain, and India lost the second match by four wickets.
Rating gap between India and England shrinks
Before the ongoing India versus England series began, India's rating in the ICC T20 rankings stood at 272 points, while England's rating was 262 points, a clear gap of 10 points between the two sides. But the string of losses in the series has now started showing up in the ratings table as well. As things stand, India's rating has dropped to 271 points, while England's rating has climbed from 262 to 264 points. That means the gap that once stood at 10 points has now shrunk to just seven points. If this trend continues, India's lead over England could shrink further in the days ahead.
Three matches left, ranking under threat
Three more matches remain in the ongoing series, and Team India now faces a double challenge. On one hand, there is a growing risk of losing the series outright, and on the other, there is the danger of India's rating advantage narrowing even further in the ICC rankings. If Team India loses another match and England picks up another win, the rating gap between the two sides will shrink even more. That would not only weaken India's grip on the rankings but could also all but end any hope of winning the series. The third match of the series will now be played on Tuesday, July 7, a fixture that is being seen as crucial for Team India both to stage a comeback and to protect its ranking.
