Indian Team Clashes With Cricket Ireland For Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Gautam Gambhir and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi [Source: AFP]

The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is all set to don the national jersey against Ireland on June 26 in Belfast. However, a little trouble has been added to the debutant's practice sessions.

As the Indian cricket team was knocking balls in Belfast for the two-match T20I series, it came to notice that there was a technical issue at the ground that halted the practice session of the Men in Blue.

The youngster, who is all set to make a record at the age of 15 after India's great Sachin Tendulkar, has already garnered a special buzz.

However, the recent setback has added a layer of frustration to the growing speculation surrounding the Vaibhav Sooryavanshi debut.

India Team Faces Technical Setback in Belfast

As per recent reports from PTI, the Indian team management and Gautam Gambhir were seemingly unhappy with the practice facilities in Belfast.

As per the news agency, the management raised an issue after finding out that one of the practice pitches at the ground did not have a sight-screen behind the bowler.

A sight-screen is usually used to make it easier for batters to spot a white ball coming from the bowler's end by contrasting it against the black screen near the boundary line.

However, its absence could cause serious trouble for batters on the ground even while practising. Therefore, the Indian team promptly informed the Irish administration about the missing facility.

Issue Resolved As Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Gets Priority

The issue was resolved soon, with the Irish officials making the necessary arrangements for the practice session.

“Yes, there have been some issues with practice facilities, but the Indian team’s support staff have brought this to the notice of Irish officials,” a BCCI source said.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who landed with the Indian team in Belfast, was also part of the practice session, and the Indian team management wanted him to get an ample amount of practice time to explode in the opening match. Needless to say, that plan was interrupted, for quite some time in the practice sessions.

How Likely Is It For Sooryavanshi To Debut Against Ireland?

Although there has been a lot of anticipation regarding his performance in the first T20I against Ireland, there is another factor that could work against his favour.

The whole country is rooting for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's debut in the Indian jersey. Sooryavanshi, who batted for 45 minutes in the nets facing Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna, alongside spinners like Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Ravi Bishnoi, might not be in the playing XI because of the current arrangements at the top order.

There has been an overcrowding situation in the T20I setup. With Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan already at the top, Sooryavanshi's place seems a little unjustified, given the fact that Sanju and Abhishek have been a match-winning pair for India in the T20 World Cup 2026.

Sitanshu Kotak Shares Verdict on Vaibhav’s Ireland Debut

Even if Sooryavanshi gets a place in the playing XI, India would have to drop either Sanju or Abhishek as the opening batter to adjust to Vaibhav's explosive phenomenon at the top.

However, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak's words for Sooryavanshi were something that might hint at the fact that his entry into the playing XI remains touch-and-go.

“I’m sure that he (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) will get his dues and opportunity. So 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. Obviously, it depends on the team management and what we plan to do in this match. But I think it’s a very thin line between trying to give somebody an opportunity when you are being unfair to some other player,” Kotak said.

Nevertheless, he had a phenomenal IPL 2026 season, and Sooryavanshi emerged as the Orange Cap winner with 776 runs. He averaged 46.50 in the IPL at a solid strike rate of 237.30 and earned his maiden call-up for the series against Ireland and England.

Whether he debuts or not will be completely up to the team management. Yet, his appearance would surely bring a wave of runs in Belfast.

Also Read- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Gets Open Threat From Ireland Captain