Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s wait for his India debut continued as the 15-year-old was once again left out of the playing XI for the first T20I against England. Despite being one of the breakout players in the 2026 IPL, where he scored 776 runs in 16 innings and was named the Player of the Tournament, the youngster will have to wait a little longer to get his chance at the international level.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the constant waiting could increase the pressure on the teenager when he finally gets a chance. However, he also feels that Sooryavanshi’s age can help him handle expectations better.“This (delay) will put him under more pressure whenever he gets a chance. But at 15 years old, you don’t think too much about the pressure. He knows that if he gets the chance in the second or third game, he will have to perform almost immediately.”
That’s right there. But he’s happy to be around. “This Indian team is full of amazing, brilliant players and it is great for him to learn from them,” Gavaskar told Sony Sports.If Sooryavanshi plays later in the series, he will become the youngest player to feature in a high-profile men’s T20 international, surpassing Ireland’s Joshua Little. He will also become the youngest player to represent India’s senior men’s national team, breaking a record that has stood since Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut at the age of 16.
Meanwhile, the opening T20I between India and England was abandoned due to incessant rain, resulting in a no-result. The rain started towards the end of India’s innings and intensified thereafter, forcing the umpires to call off the match with little time remaining before the match ended with five runs to spare.Before the elimination, India had scored a competitive 189 for their allotted 7 in 20 overs. Captain Shreyas Iyer led the attack with a 47-ball 68, while Abhishek Sharma contributed in the opener with 59. Shivam Dubey provided late form with an unbeaten 42 off just 21 deliveries.England’s Saqib Mahmood was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 3 for 33. The second match of the five-match T20I series will be played in Manchester on July 4.