Sunil Gavaskar predicts that India will give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi his long‑awaited international debut during the upcoming five‑match T20I series against England, following the teenager’s omission from the recent tour of Ireland.
India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, has finally addressed the series’ biggest talking point. He insists that the 15‑year‑old sensation is “absolutely ready” for international cricket, even though he did not feature in any of the matches during India’s 0‑2 defeat.
The 15‑year‑old arrived in Belfast amid massive excitement after a record‑breaking IPL campaign. He watched both matches from the dugout as India suffered its first bilateral T20I series loss to Ireland.
Fans questioned the decision of coach Gautam Gambhir and new captain Shreyas Iyer to leave the youngster out, yet ten Doeschate maintains that the management has complete confidence in Sooryavanshi’s ability.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ‘is absolutely ready’
Speaking after India’s heart‑breaking one‑run defeat in the second T20I, the assistant coach stressed that Sooryavanshi possesses the talent required to succeed at the highest level. “He is absolutely ready to play international cricket; there is no doubt about that,” ten Doeschate said.
He added, however, that readiness alone does not guarantee an immediate cap. “We will not rush his debut ahead of players who have already earned their place,” he explained. Ten Doeschate highlighted Sanju Samson as a key example: “Sanju Samson is a guy who went a long way to win us the World Cup three months ago.”
The remarks reflect the management’s stance that established performers should not be displaced simply because of excitement surrounding a young talent. Consequently, Samson and Abhishek Sharma remained India’s opening pair throughout the Ireland series.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Ireland snub sparks debate
Sooryavanshi’s omission quickly became one of the series’ most debated topics. Many observers expected India to give the teenager his debut against Ireland, especially as the world champions entered the series as favourites.
Instead, India handed debut caps to Prince Yadav and Suryansh Shedge, leaving Sooryavanshi unused in both matches. The decision came under intensified scrutiny after India’s batting collapsed in the two games, culminating in Ireland’s historic 2‑0 whitewash.
Sunil Gavaskar expects England debut
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar admitted he was surprised that Sooryavanshi did not make his debut in Ireland. He had expected India to rotate their opening pair across the two matches, gradually introducing the youngster before the tougher England series. “I honestly thought that with Ireland not being seen as a real threat, they would give young Sooryavanshi a debut in the first game… That is what I thought when the team left for Ireland,” Gavaskar said.
According to Gavaskar, the Ireland series offered a perfect platform to ease the 15‑year‑old into international cricket without undue pressure.
England series now in focus
Despite the Irish setback, Gavaskar believes Sooryavanshi’s wait will soon be over. He expects the teenager to feature in the upcoming five‑match T20I series against England, especially given India’s batting struggles on the tour.
“I think he will play in one of the matches, if not all the matches in England,” Gavaskar remarked. He noted that Sooryavanshi’s recent exploits—including an 11‑ball List A half‑century and an outstanding IPL season—have generated significant anticipation for his international debut.
Patience remains the message
India’s management appears committed to not rushing one of the country’s most promising young talents, despite growing public demand for his introduction. Ten Doeschate’s comments indicate that Sooryavanshi’s debut is a matter of “when,” not “if.”
For now, the teenager remains in India’s plans, but like every other player, he will have to earn his opportunity through the team’s established selection process.