Vaibhav Sooryavanshi left out of India XI for rain‑shortened T20I against Japan

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was omitted from India’s playing XI for the one-off T20I against Japan at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi on Monday, September 22, ahead of the Asian Games 2026. The fixture was delayed by a wet outfield caused by heavy rain and residual moisture from Typhoon Dujuan and, when it finally began, was reduced to five overs per side.

India entered the match as two-time ICC T20 World Cup defending champions and the No. 2-ranked side in T20Is, while hosts Japan sit 41st in the ICC rankings. The game served as a Suzuki Cup warm-up ahead of India’s Asian Games 2026 commitments in Aichi-Nagoya. Shreyas Iyer led the side as captain and VVS Laxman served as head coach. Tilak Varma was named as Iyer’s deputy.

Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bat in the truncated contest. The Indian management and captain opted for a more experienced opening pair, naming Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson as openers for the five-over match. Sanju Samson, the Rajasthan Royals batter, has played six T20Is for India and posted a top score of 81 against the West Indies.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, aged 15, was not included in the playing XI, a decision that surprised many spectators. The youngster is described in coverage as having an explosive batting style and a fearless approach towards elite bowlers. He has accumulated 193 runs in six innings at an average of 32 and a strike rate of 189.

Cricket fans expressed hope that Sooryavanshi will feature in India’s Asian Games squad when the continental competition begins next week. The one-off T20I against Japan functioned as India’s final tune-up before they commence their Asian Games campaign in Aichi-Nagoya next week.