Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Makes His Debut in India's T20I Squad
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Joins Indian T20I Team
File image of teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi(Photo: @CricketopiaCom/X)
Mumbai, June 6: The young batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has received his first call-up to the Indian T20I squad for upcoming tours in Ireland, England, and the Asian Games. Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the new captain for the T20I team, taking over from Suryakumar Yadav, who has been excluded from all three squads.
"Shreyas was very close to making it into the T20 World Cup squad. It was a difficult decision regarding Suryakumar Yadav, but it was necessary to reevaluate our strategy moving forward. Shreyas is a deserving captain with ample experience," stated chief selector Ajit Agarkar during a press briefing.
India is set to play two T20 matches in Belfast on June 26 and 28, followed by a series of five matches in England from July 1 to 11. Additionally, they will participate in the Men’s T20 event at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, in September. Although Suryakumar, 35, led India to a successful T20 World Cup title defense in March, his ongoing struggles with form raised concerns.
He scored only 270 runs in 13 innings for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026, averaging 20.76, while his World Cup performance yielded 242 runs at a strike rate of 136.72, which were considered modest. With the next T20 World Cup scheduled for 2028, selectors deemed it appropriate to transition leadership to Shreyas, with Tilak Varma stepping in as vice-captain.
"Shubman Gill was vice-captain leading into the World Cup. However, with our decision to include two wicketkeepers, he missed out. Axar Patel was vice-captain, but we are focusing on what is best for the next two-year cycle. Tilak is an exceptional player, and this role will allow him to gain valuable experience," Agarkar added.
Shreyas, 31, returns to the T20I setup after last playing in December 2023. Although he was part of the squad against New Zealand earlier this year, he did not make it to the playing eleven. With his inclusion, he is expected to bat at the number four position, previously held by Suryakumar.
Sooryavanshi's selection is particularly noteworthy, having been named Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament during the 2026 U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup victory. The Rajasthan Royals player scored 776 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 237.30 in IPL 2026, making him the youngest player to be selected for an Indian men's squad since Sachin Tendulkar in 1989. Before the senior T20I tours, he will represent India A in a tri-series in Sri Lanka from June 9 to 21.
"Vaibhav's outstanding performances made it hard for us to overlook him. Despite his youth, he has excelled in two consecutive IPL seasons and has shown his talent at the Under-19 level. We are optimistic that when he gets his chance, he will demonstrate the same skill," Agarkar remarked.
Seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana, who is recovering from meniscus tear surgery performed in March, is back in the squad, along with leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. Fast bowler Prince Yadav, who had a notable IPL 2026, is included for the tours of Ireland and England, while Jasprit Bumrah will replace him in the Asian Games squad.
India's squad for T20Is against Ireland and England includes: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Prince Yadav.
India's squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan consists of: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.