Indian T20 Squads for Ireland, England, Asian Games Announced, Shreyas Iyer Named Captain, Sooryavanshi gets Maiden India Call

NEW DELHI, June 6: Just three months after leading India to win the T20 World Cup, Suryakumar Yadav failed to find a place in the team as India’s transition towards the next T20 World Cup cycle formally began on Saturday with Shreyas Iyer replacing Suryakumar Yadav as captain and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi earning a maiden call-up, decisions chief selector Ajit Agarkar suggested were driven equally by long-term planning and recent performance.

Shreyas’ elevation marks a significant turnaround in fortunes for the Mumbai batter, who last featured in a T20I in December 2023 and had narrowly missed selection for the recent World Cup campaign despite an impressive run in franchise cricket.

“We have seen what he has done over the last few years, leading different franchises,” Agarkar said. “He won (the IPL title) once, had a tougher season this year after a great start. He has seen everything that a captain possibly can. His own performances have been really good.

“He was quite close to getting into that T20 World Cup squad as well, but (with) Surya still there, there was no room for him. He in my opinion was a stand-out candidate with enough experience now. This will obviously be a different challenge.”

The change simultaneously brings an abrupt end to Suryakumar’s captaincy stint, and possibly international career. Less than three months after leading India to a successful T20 World Cup defence, the 35-year-old not only lost the captaincy but also his place in the squad.

“With regards to Surya, obviously it’s a tough one having just won the World Cup,” Agarkar admitted. “But as it happens, after most World Cups, we try and reassess what the best way forward is. “Partly his own form, but also looking at the next two-year cycle or a little bit more than two years now till the next World Cup. We thought this was the best way forward.”

Another most important factor in the team selection was the inclusion of the 15-year old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi whose explosive IPL performance forced his entry into international cricket. “He has just picked himself really,” Agarkar said. “With his performances, he has almost forced us to pick him with how well he has played. It’s not just this season. He obviously had a great start (to his IPL career) last season.

“And to back it up for a young kid in a competition that’s as competitive and has a high-pressure environment, and how explosive he can be and a game-changer that he can be… we have got high hopes of him.”

While asked on Sooryavanshi inclusion in the Test squad, Agarkar said “Regarding red-ball cricket, why jump the gun? We are excited with what Sooryavanshi is doing. Right now, let him be in T20 cricket.” For India’s selectors, Saturday’s announcement was less about one squad and more about officially beginning another cycle.

The selectors officially announced that Shreyas Iyer will be captain of the T20 international side replacing Suryakumar Yadav, who has won the T20 World Cup, as the captain. Middle-order batter Tilak Varma will be Shreyas’ deputy, while pacer Prince Yadav, who had an impressive season for Lucknow Super Giants, was drafted for the series against England and Ireland.

At 15 years and 71 days old, Sooryavanshi becomes the youngest ever player to feature in an Indian cricket team, surpassing the long-standing record held by the great Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar was 16 years and 205 days when he made his Test debut against Pakistan at Karachi on November 15, 1989.

India will travel to Ireland for two T20Is (June 26 and 28), followed by a five-match T20I series against England between July 1 and 11. Shreyas has returned to the national T20 side for the first time after a match against Australia in Bengaluru on December 3, 2023.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for England and Ireland tours to enable him to feature in the Asian Games 2026. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said that Yashasvi Jaiswal has replaced injured Virat Kohli in the ODI squad against Afghanistan.

On Tilak Varma’s appointment as vice-captain, Agarkar said “Tilak can learn more about the job of leading a side while being the deputy to Shreyas, a clear indication of his growth in the white ball format as a key member.” Agarkar said “Sooryavanshi has picked himself through his performances with so much talent around in T20 cricket.”

On Hardik Pandya, Agarkar said “Main objective is to see if Hardik (Pandya) can play ODI cricket and be fit as there is also an ODI World Cup ahead.”

Wicket-keeper batsman Dhruv Jurel will lead India in the two multi-day matches against Sri Lanka. Devdutt Padikkal will be the vice-captain, and Ruturaj Gaikwad also found a place in the squad.

India squad for Ireland and England T20 series

Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

India squad for Asian Games

Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

India squad for multi day matches in Sri Lanka

Dhruv Jurel (c and wk), Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh, Saransh, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi, Yash Thakur, N Jagadeesan, Aman Mokade, Sheikh Rashid and Ansari.

(Rohit Kumar)