Sooryavanshi could be in line for his T20I debut in Manchester.
After spending the first three matches of India's tour of the United Kingdom on the bench, teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could finally make his international debut in the second T20I against England on Saturday (July 4).
The Men in Blue kicked off the tour with two T20Is against Ireland before arriving in England for a five-match T20I series. Sooryavanshi didn’t feature in the Ireland series which India lost 0-2, while he was also ignored for the first T20I against England.
However, the 15-year-old has dropped a big hint that his India debut could come in the second T20I at Old Trafford.
Taking to Instagram, Sooryavanshi shared a story with the caption "New chapter," sparking speculation that he could be in line for his maiden international appearance.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was rewarded with a place in India’s T20I squad after a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign where he finished as the Most Valuable Player and Orange Cap winner for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), hammering 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30. Along the way, he dominated high-profile bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.
On the eve of the second T20I, India bowling coach Morne Morkel addressed the growing calls for Sooryavanshi’s international debut, saying the think-tank wants to back the experienced players who have won tournaments and done well.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer have opted to stick with the World Cup-winning opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. While Sharma managed scores of 49 and 59, Samson has struggled, posting single-digit totals of 5, 0, and 1.
“I think we just need to respect the fact that we've got the number one batter, or we had our number one batter in T20 cricket, Abhishek Sharma. You know, Sanju was the player of the World Cup,” Morkel told reporters.
“He (Samson) had a great IPL. So, I think as a coaching staff, it's only fair to show faith and back your players. Yes, there's a young man knocking on the door and it's exciting.
“But I reckon for not just those two players at the top, but for the rest of the group, it's a good sign that we show that we back you guys,” he added.
Morkel also stressed that moving batters around can hurt their rhythm, especially since they have done so well in specific positions.
“In a day, it's about putting performances on the board. That is the key. But we also don't want to think too much and bat other players out of positions. So, I reckon it's not straightforward, Ok, let's play (Sooryavanshi).
“It's a matter of backing some of the guys who've won World Cups, who've done really well for you in tough situations, and then also from there, build and see how we can structure and make our top order as good as possible in these conditions,” he explained.
While Morkel did not provide a specific date or match for Sooryavanshi’s debut, he opened up on the young prodigy’s smooth integration into the Indian dressing room.
“I think he's filled in very, very well. You know, I think if you follow the boys on Instagram, there's already a lot of photos being posted, with him especially. At the nets as a 15-year-old at the international stage, it can be intimidating.
“But, I think just the couple of nets we've had, it's been very impressive. And, you know, we're all excited to see how he goes. When he gets an opportunity, I'm pretty sure he'll be ready. But in terms of coming into the squad and fitting in, it's been very smooth,” he said.