Sooryavanshi’s India debut delayed after T20 snub vs Ireland despite IPL form

Belfast: India’s teenage cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to wait longer for his senior international debut after being left out of the playing XI for the second and final T20I against Ireland in Belfast.

The team instead handed debuts to pacer Prince Yadav and batting all-rounder Suryansh Shedge. Captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to field in the must-win clash at the Civil Service Cricket Club.

The 15-year-old, who recently finished as the top run-scorer in this year’s Indian Premier League, was also not included in the first T20I, which India lost by 34 runs, handing Ireland their first-ever win over India in any format.

Debut hopes delayed

Sooryavanshi remains in contention to become the youngest player in top-level men’s T20 cricket. Ireland’s Joshua Little currently holds that record, having debuted at 16 years and 309 days.

The teenager could still make history in the upcoming five-match series in England starting Wednesday. If selected, he would also become the youngest-ever player to feature for India’s senior men’s team, surpassing legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, who debuted in Tests at 16 years and 205 days.

Sooryavanshi earned a maiden senior call-up following a record-breaking Indian Premier League season for Rajasthan Royals, where he won the Orange Cap after scoring 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.

India opt to bowl first in second T20I

Earlier, India won the toss and opted to bowl first in the second T20I at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast, citing overcast conditions and the possibility of rain.

Shreyas Iyer, leading the side, said India aimed to maximise early bowling advantage and improve their adaptability after the previous defeat.

“We’re going to bowl first considering the weather conditions. It can pour any time, so we want to maximise the advantage,” Iyer said at the toss.

He confirmed two changes to the playing XI, with Suryansh Shedge and Prince Yadav making their international debuts.

Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker said his side was comfortable batting first and hoped for similar pitch behaviour to the opening match.

Playing XIs

India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav

Ireland: Tim Tector, Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (c/wk), Benjamin Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Liam McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Jai Moondra, Matthew Hollard

With inputs from ANI, IANS