India’s T20I captain, Shreyas Iyeris bracing for a massive challenge as he is set to lead his side in the five-match T20I series against England. It is a huge series for the 31-year-old after seeing his side lose to Ireland recently. Men in Blue lost both their games against the Irish side to suffer their first series loss since 2023.

Iyer, since his return to the side, has managed to score just 13 runs from the two games so far. Cheteshwar Pujara warned his former teammate that the upcoming series will test him as a batter. The 38-year-old also said that Shreyas Iyer had to prove himself as a batter.

Speaking to Star Sports, India’s former Test number three batter said, “Don’t doubt Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy credentials. But it is as a batter that he could face massive challenges, and has a lot to prove. He has been phenomenal as a captain in the IPL for Punjab Kings, which is why he was made the new India T20I skipper.”

In the first T20I against Ireland, the batter scored three runs before going for a wild slog that saw Matthew Hollard take his maiden wicket. In the second game, Punjab Kings’ skipper looked to get off to a decent start before edging the ball back onto his stumps for ten runs.

Piyush Chawla worried for India’s inexperienced players in English conditions

Most of the Indian players are set to get their first taste of English conditions. The likes of Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, and Shivam Dube are making their first tour to this part of the world. Arshdeep Singh is the most experienced player in this squad, having played international and county cricket here.

Former Indian spinner Piyush Chawla, in his chat on Star Sports, said, “It will be a huge challenge for players who haven’t played in England before. It is not going to be easy, and comparing these conditions to the IPL is completely different.”

Focus will be on Ishan Kishanwho became the latest number 1 batter in the T20I format. The 27-year-old will be expected to play a huge role with the bat and also in the field during the upcoming series.