Shreyas Iyer says Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cannot 'walk in' to India's T20I side
India captain Shreyas Iyer said on October 21, 2026 that teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cannot expect to "walk in" to the T20I team, comments made ahead of India's five-match T20I series in New Zealand which begins on October 22. Iyer reiterated that while Sooryavanshi's talent is clear, the current opening pair are delivering consistently and retain their places.
Sooryavanshi, 15, was included on India's tours of England and Ireland earlier this year but has played in only eight of the 21 T20Is India have contested so far. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson continue as the established openers, a position strengthened by their roles in India's defence of the T20 World Cup earlier in the year. Iyer said the combination of the openers' form and their World Cup success meant opportunities for others would be limited for now. The India captain framed his comments around managing a young player's expectations while the team selects from in-form performers.
Addressing Sooryavanshi directly, Iyer said: "It's important that a talent like him (Sooryavanshi) should always be happy around the dressing room," and added, "He is very young, he has more years to get opportunities. It's not like he can walk in right now, because our openers are scoring consistently, and they have won the World Cup." Those remarks came as Iyer explained the selection context for a player yet to establish himself in the senior XI.
Sooryavanshi did open in the Asian Games, with Samson moving to No. 3, and produced 53 runs across two matches at a strike rate of 176.66. Despite that outing, the teenager was left out of India's playing XI for the entire subsequent T20I series against the West Indies. The Asian Games appearances were cited as a demonstration of his attacking potential, but did not translate into immediate selection for the senior T20I side.
Iyer said he has encouraged patience: "I just keep telling him you will get the opportunity, if you be consistent about your processes, you have to wait sometimes, we have got two fantastic openers, that's the conversation we have been having with Vaibhav," he said after the fifth T20I against the West Indies was washed out. The West Indies series finished 2-2, and Iyer conceded India "could have secured a different result had they bowled better in the second and fourth matches," while also praising West Indies captain Shai Hope for his batting throughout the series.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has delivered a similar message about Sooryavanshi's place in the order, saying: "From Vaibhav's point of view, it is again a very clear conversation that he has to wait for his opportunity. We know the kind of talent he has. We know what he can do. But again, someone who done extremely well over a period of years obviously will always be ahead of someone who has got into the team. Whenever he gets that chance, you will get a longer run as well." Gambhir added, "And that is what Indian cricket is all about. We want competition, we want that talent in the dressing room. But sometimes that's how cricket goes. Whether it is a 15-year-old or a 30-year-old, you have to wait for opportunity."
Iyer also highlighted the value of exposing Sooryavanshi to overseas conditions: "So, if you see, when he is coming overseas, he will get a fair idea how to play on these particular wickets," and said, "Next time, whenever he comes in these conditions, he will be very well-prepared. And he can also instruct the other team members, whoever comes here for the first time." With Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson continuing to occupy the opening positions, and India set to travel to New Zealand for the T20I leg beginning on October 22, Sooryavanshi's wait for a regular place in the senior side looks set to continue.
