Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to wait longer for his India T20I debut after captain Shreyas Iyer retained the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma for the second T20I against Ireland in Belfast on Sunday, June 28. Instead, India handed debuts to all-rounder Suryansh Shedge and fast bowler Prince Yadav as the visitors made two changes following their defeat in the series opener.
The changes come after Ireland registered their first-ever international win over India in the opening T20I, prompting the visitors to reshuffle their playing XI in a bid to level the series.
“Yeah, we’ve got two changes. Suryansh Shedge and Prince Yadav come in. Both are making their debut,” Iyer said at the toss while announcing India’s playing XI.
The two debutants replace Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar after India’s disappointing performance in the first T20I. Prasidh endured a difficult outing, conceding 57 runs in his four wicketless overs, while Sundar leaked 19 runs in the only over he bowled and contributed nine runs with the bat during the chase.
Despite growing anticipation around 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s international debut, the team management opted to retain the experienced opening combination of Samson and Abhishek Sharma.
SHEDGE REWARDED AFTER IMPRESSIVE INDIA A STINT
Shedge earned his maiden India call-up following consistent performances in domestic cricket, the IPL and the recent India A tri-series in Sri Lanka. Utilised as a batting all-rounder during the tournament, he also chipped in with crucial overs, showcasing the versatility that has impressed the selectors. Shedge added 147 runs in five games at an average of 36.75, whilst grabbing two wickets.
“He’s a powerful, destructive batter. He’s a sensational youngster who has been scoring runs in domestic cricket and also in the IPL. He’s got a tremendous amount of experience in youth cricket and has performed on the India A tours. So he’s reaping the benefits,” Iyer said while explaining the decision to hand Shedge his maiden international cap.
Prince Yadav, meanwhile, continues his rapid rise after making his ODI debut against Afghanistan earlier this month.
“Definitely it’s his first game, so I don’t want to put him under that much pressure. It’s important that he comes out here, gains experience and understands what international cricket has to offer. He must have seen how we played in the previous game, and he’s smart enough to adapt to it,” Iyer added while speaking about Prince Yadav.
The pacer claimed three wickets across two matches in that series and has now been rewarded with his first T20I appearance as India look to bounce back and keep the series alive against Ireland. Yadav’s rise started with his 16-wicket Indian Premier League 2026 season for the Lucknow Super Giants.
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