Ian Bishop, former West Indies fast bowler, has been mightily impressed with the 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and has included the talented teenager as he named his alternate India T20I squad.
Sooryavanshi had an excellent debut in IPL 2025 for the Rajasthan Royals when he smashed the first ball he faced for a six. He then impressed one and all as he smashed a 35-ball century, becoming the youngest in the IPL and T20s to hit a century and hitting the fastest century by an Indian in the IPL. He made 252 runs in 7 games that year.
Sooryavanshi has continued his terrific form in IPL 2026 as well, scoring more than 400 runs in 10 games, with one century and two fifties to his name. His performances in the IPL have given rise to voices asking him to be included in the Indian T20I squad.
India's depth allows them to field numerous competitive teams in international cricket, one of which should undoubtedly feature Sooryavanshi.
This is exactly what Ian Bishop has done. The West Indies great selected an alternate India T20I team that included Sooryavanshi as one of three openers, along with Shubman Gill and Punjab Kings batter Prabhsimran Singh.
“You tell me if you disagree. I’m picking three openers in my squad. I want a left-right match-up as much as I can. Shubman Gill has been in good form, so I’ve gone with him. The left-hander is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. I think he is ready to take another step. And I’ve gone with Prabhsimran Singh. Priyansh Arya was in there as well, but I think Prabh has been in better form this season,” Bishop said on ESPNCricinfo’s ‘Quick Singles’.
Bishop also picked Shreyas Iyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, and Dhruv Jurel in the middle order. Furthermore, Nitish Kumar Reddy was picked as the pace all-rounder.
“I’m looking at Shreyas Iyer in the middle order, for obvious reasons. Rajat Patidar is another one who I think can make an impact, and Devdutt Padikkal, who has been sublime. The keeper is Dhruv Jurel—he has better form compared to Jitesh Sharma with the bat and gloves. Nitish Kumar Reddy is my seam-bowling all-rounder, who has been scoring runs and bowling reasonably well at times for the Sunrisers Hyderabad,” added Bishop.
Coming to the bowling unit, Bishop picked the veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar, along with Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna, as the pacers, while Krunal Pandya and Yuzvendra Chahal were the spinners.
“From a spinner’s point of view, my options are pretty much narrow, based on form at this juncture, but Krunal Pandya has been an important player. And then for my genuine spinner, I have gone with the leading wicket-taker in IPL history, Yuzvendra Chahal. Seamer, who I love very much—Bhuvneshwar gets into my squad at 36 because he is bowling as well as he ever has,” said Bishop.
Ian Bishop's alternate India T20I squad:
Shubman Gill, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Devdutt Padikkal, Shreyas Iyer, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Reddy, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohsin Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prabhsimran Singh, Prince Yadav, Prasidh Krishna
