India, June 29 -- This is the third unexpected whitewash for Team India under head coach Gautam Gambhir. In 2024, there was a 3-0 Test series drubbing at home at the hands of New Zealand. Last year, South Africa beat them 2-0 in the longest format, again at home.

They were still seasoned Test nations. Ireland, on the other hand, is a new Test nation and gets a handful of opportunities across formats. Losing one match to a team like that is fine in T20s. It's often been seen when lesser teams have beaten powerhouses in this format, but losing back-to-back is something not seen before. India is the world's best T20I side, having won the last two editions of the T20 World Cup. Ireland, prior to the series, were 12th on the ICC rankings. The...