Xplorich
Indian cricket’s T20 setup has entered a new phase, with Shreyas Iyer appointed captain for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, while teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has earned a historic maiden call-up. At just 15 years and 71 days old, Sooryavanshi has become the youngest player ever selected for an Indian team, breaking a record that had stood since Sachin Tendulkar’s debut in 1989. Tendulkar was 16 years and 205 days old when he made his Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi. India’s T20 campaign begins with two matches in Ireland on June 26 and 28 before the team heads to England for a five-match series from July 1 to 11. The squad announcement also marks Shreyas‘ return to India’s T20 setup for the first time since the series against Australia in December 2023. His elevation to the captaincy comes after several successful years as a leader in franchise cricket and consistent performances with the bat. Explaining the decision, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said: “With regards to Shreyas, we have seen what he has done over the last few years, leading different franchises. “(He) won the final once, and from there a tougher season this year after a great start. We have seen everything that a captain possibly can (handle). His own performances have been really good. “He was quite close to getting into the (T20) World Cup squad as well. With Surya still there, there was no room for him, so he is in my opinion a stand-out candidate with enough experience now having led in the T20 format; this is obviously a different challenge.” Iyer’s leadership credentials have been strengthened by guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and taking Punjab Kings to the final in 2025. Combined with his strong batting returns over the last two seasons, those performances convinced selectors that he was the right man to lead India’s next T20 cycle. The decision, however, comes at the expense of Suryakumar Yadav. Despite leading India to the 2026 T20 World Cup title, Suryakumar has not only lost the captaincy but also his place in the squad. Addressing the move, Agarkar said: “With regards to Surya, obviously it’s a tough one having just won the (T20) World Cup. But as it happens after most World Cups, we try and reassess what your best way forward is. “(It was due to) partly his own form but also looking at the next two-year cycle, or a little bit more than two years now till the next World Cup, we thought this was the best way forward and like I said, Shreyas is a very deserving captain. “We deliberated on it a lot, especially when someone has led you to a World Cup win. It’s not the easiest sort of discussion to have, but I don’t necessarily think… at some stage, we were going to look at it. Now, whether IPL form dictated it; I’m not so sure that’s the case. There were always conversations around it.” With a new captain in place and the youngest player in Indian cricket history joining the squad, the selectors have signalled a clear shift in direction as preparations begin for the next T20 World Cup cycle.
