Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hype overshadows Shreyas Iyer's debut as India captain in Belfast

India begin a new T20I era under captain Shreyas Iyer against Ireland in Belfast, with attention split between leadership transition and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's potential debut. Ireland, led by Lorcan Tucker, also eye opportunities for young players as both teams deal with transitions and challenging playing conditions.

In Short

• Shreyas Iyer leads India in his first T20I game since 2023
• All eyes are on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, though he may not start
• Ireland could debut Reuben Wilson and Jai Moondra amid team changes

India are on the brink of history. On Friday, June 26, if Vaibhav Sooryavanshi takes the field against Ireland, he will become the youngest player to represent India in international cricket. At 15 years old, the boy from Samastipur, Bihar has captured the imagination of the cricketing world. He has dominated age-group cricket, helping India win the U19 ODI World Cup.

Graduating to the India A team, Vaibhav has dismantled attacks with his whirlwind exploits as an opener. And if that was not enough, the left-hander has already sent bonafide legends - Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins and Mohammed Siraj - into the stands off their very first deliveries in the Indian Premier League.

If Vaibhav indeed makes his debut, he will break the record of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who walked out to bat for India at the age of 16, in the team's tour to Pakistan. Inevitably, comparisons between the two will follow.

The conversation around Vaibhav is so dominant that it could overshadow one of the biggest storylines in Indian cricket this year - the fact that India's T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav will not be part of the team's line-up on Friday.

In India's first T20I since lifting the World Cup, the team will begin a new era under captain Shreyas Iyer. Iyer, who was not part of India's T20 World Cup-winning side, has earned the role on the back of strong domestic and IPL performances. Now, he finds himself leading a team in transition, where expectations remain high despite the presence of fresh faces and experimental combinations.

SHREYAS IYER’S CAPTAINCY

Speaking ahead of the series opener, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak backed Iyer’s experience and calm approach, highlighting his extensive captaincy background in domestic cricket and the IPL.

“It's not like Shreyas is captaining for the first time in this team. He has captained a lot in the IPL and for Mumbai, so he has a lot of experience. It’s not like people are expecting anything different from him,” Kotak said.

He also highlighted Iyer’s leadership philosophy, which was evident during the team’s first hurdle session under his captaincy.

“I heard Shreyas saying, ‘We will look after everyone. Some will have good days, some will have bad days, so we will just make sure that we support each other,’” he added.

Despite the backing, this series represents a significant early test for Iyer, who last played a T20 International for India in 2023 against Australia. With attention split between a new captain and a potential teenage debutant, the spotlight in Belfast is firmly fixed on India’s evolving identity.

IRELAND EYE OPPORTUNITY AND TRANSITION

Ireland, meanwhile, enter the contest hoping to capitalise on India’s transitional phases. However, they face their own challenges, with several injury concerns affecting their squad. Captain Lorcan Tucker, who took over leadership duties following Paul Stirling’s stepping down after the T20 World Cup, now leads a side in flux.

Tucker remains one of Ireland’s key players, having impressed with an unbeaten 94 against Oman during the World Cup. A highly regarded wicketkeeper-batter, he continues to be central to Ireland’s ambitions in the format.

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

The Belfast surface is expected to offer slower conditions compared to the high-scoring IPL venues the Indian players are accustomed to, with larger boundaries adding another layer of challenge. Early adjustment with the bat could be crucial.

Cloudy conditions are expected, with a chance of intermittent showers that could further influence proceedings in the series opener.

IRE vs IND PREDICTED XI

India

India are unlikely to make significant changes to their World Cup-winning squad in their first outing since lifting the title. The most notable shift remains the change in leadership, while it is also highly unlikely that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be drafted straight into the playing XI and disrupt the well-settled opening combination of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma.

“I don't think that just to give him an opportunity, we should drop someone who has already been scoring runs. That also won't be right. I think there is a very thin line between trying to give somebody an opportunity and being unfair to some other player,” Kotak added.

India Predicted XI:

Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma/Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (capt.), Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi/Prasidh Krishna/ Prince Yadav.

Ireland

Ireland could also be set to hand a debut to teenager Reuben Wilson, while left-arm pacer Jai Moondra - born in Rajasthan - is another contender for a first international appearance.

Ireland Predicted XI:

Tim Tector, Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (c and wk), Ben Calitz, Gareth Delaney, George Dockrell, Matthew Humphreys, Matt Holard, Reuben Williams, Jai Moondra.

IRELAND VS INDIA: WHEN TO WATCH?

The first T20I between Ireland and India is set to be played at the Civil Service Cricket Ground, Stormont, Belfast on Friday June 26 at 6 pm IST.

IRELAND VS INDIA: WHERE TO WATCH?

The game will be live broadcasted by Sony Sports Network across its linear channels and on the SonyLiv website and app.

IRE vs IND: WHAT THEY SAID

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak:

"Today evening, the captain and head coach will decide about the team. And if he plays, great. If he doesn't play, that is also great because he is part of the Indian team. And I am sure that he will get his dues and his opportunities. So I don't think that just to give him an opportunity, we should drop someone who has already been scoring runs."

Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker:

“It’s pretty incredible for them to have a 15-year-old (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) on their team. I didn't ever think that was going to be possible in this professional era of the game, especially with the amount of work that goes into professional cricket and the standard of the players. So, credit to him - he's a pretty special player,” Tucker said about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the game.

“We have a huge Indian community in Ireland that I know will be massively ready to watch this game, and they'll see Vaibhav. That's what most of the hype is about here, about him making his debut in this series,” he added.

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