While the majority of the world might be shocked not to see Vaibhav Sooryavanshi make his debut in the first T20I between India and Ireland, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar backed the team management’s call to have the 15-year-old on the bench for the series opener in Belfast. Manjrekar lauded the team management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shreyas Iyer, for sticking with the duo of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, given how they helped the Men in Blue win the T20 World Cup 2026 earlier this year.
When the toss took place for the first T20I, Iyer said that Sooryavanshi needed to wait for his chance, as the management wanted to stick with the experienced players who had got the job done time and time again in the previous few months.
Manjrekar heaped praise on the team management for maintaining continuity and not being affected by the clamour to include Sooryavanshi in the playing XI. The left-handed Sooryavanshi is standing on the cusp of history and is looking to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record to become the youngest-ever debutant for Team India in men’s cricket.
However, June 26 wasn’t the day as Sooryavanshi warmed the bench and watched Abhishek and Samson go about their business in Belfast.
“Good call by India not to mess with their in-form openers, their T20 WC winning heroes. ‘Outside noise’ must remain just that…noise outside. While calmness and meritocracy presides in the dressing room,” Manjrekar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The decision to leave out Sooryavanshi wouldn’t have been easy. The youngster has been in fine form in 2026, smashing 776 runs in the IPL 2026 for the Rajasthan Royals. He then smashed the fastest List-A fifty, getting to the milestone off just 11 balls against Sri Lanka A.
However, Sooryavanshi didn’t seem too fussed about being excluded, as he was seen carrying drinks in Belfast and was also spotted interacting with Abhishek Sharma’s father, who was seated in the stands for the first T20I.
How did Abhishek and Sanju perform?
The first T20I between India and Ireland saw Shreyas Iyer winning the toss and opting to bowl. The series between the two teams also marks Shreyas’s first stint as the T20I skipper for the Men in Blue.
“Honestly speaking, he’s (Gautam Gambhir) just asked all the players to be themselves and be relentless in the approach, ruthless. And there are so many other adverbs which I could put in over here. But, you know, it comes from the experience, and the majority of us, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s our first time over here. So we need to get accustomed to the conditions as quickly as possible,” said Shreyas at the toss.
“And we’ve got a tremendous session yesterday. So, the boys are looking in great shape and good form. We’re going to take one match at a time, and that’s the eventual goal. But right now, it’s over here, in Ireland, playing against Ireland, and getting the best out of each other,” he added.
