There is growing demand for Vaibhav Suryavanshi to make his India debut, but captain Shreyas Iyer believes the limelight should not come at the expense of those who have already performed well on the biggest stage. Ahead of the England T20I series, Iyer said India’s World Cup-winning senior players have earned the right to be supported despite the teenage wait.

The 15-year-old was ignored once again It was during India’s disappointing 2-0 T20 series defeat to Ireland, where debut caps went to all-rounder Suryansh Shedge and fast bowler Prince Yadav. Speaking ahead of the first T20I against England on Tuesday, Iyer defended the team management’s approach, and insisted that every player in the current XI has earned their place through consistent performances.

“Everybody playing in the team has performed; it’s not just one person who has done it,” Iyer said during the pre-match press conference.

“We need to provide opportunities for everyone and create protections so that everyone has the confidence to move forward in the tournament.”

The India captain also underlined why the team is relying on the core group that headlined the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

“Those who helped us win the last World Cup, definitely those. We also know how to play T20 and play consistently in those formats. In a way, I have a lot of pillars to pack.”

The comments come at a time when pressure is mounting on the selectors and team management to give Suryavanshi a chance to make his long-awaited India debut, as the teenage batting sensation remained on the bench for both the matches against Ireland.

The wait for glory continues

Very few youngsters have generated as much enthusiasm as Vaibhav Suryavanshi before making his debut in India.

At just 15 years and 91 days, the left-handed batsman would have become the youngest player to represent India in international cricket, men’s or women’s, had he played against Ireland. Instead, India retained the top order of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan while relying on the experience of players who have been central to the team’s recent success.

The logic is easy to understand.

Abhishek has established himself as one of India’s most explosive T20 batsmen, while Samson was among the architects of India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign before enjoying another excellent IPL season. Replacing one of the uncapped teenagers would have been one of the boldest selection calls in recent memory.

Yet the Ireland series also strengthened the argument for change.

Samson scored 0 and 0 in the two matches, while Kishan scored 1 and 12 as India’s batting struggled on the Belfast surfaces. The defeat not only handed India an unexpected 2-0 series defeat, but also ended their remarkable run of 16 consecutive T20I bilateral series wins.

assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has already said that Suryavanshi “will have to go through the process”. Like every other player, acknowledging that the teenager is ready for international cricket.

England is now presenting an even tougher test.

Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Saqib Mahmood and Sonny Baker provide real pace, while Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed provide plenty of variety in the middle overs. Chester-le-Street has also traditionally favored the bowlers, with the average T20I score in the first innings being just 138, making batting adjustments from the start crucial.

Whether those conditions ultimately persuade India to hand over Suryavanshi or not, his debut remains one of the biggest talking points in the five-match series.

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