Ahead of the first T20I against Ireland in Belfast on Friday, Indian team batting coach Sitanshu Kotak addressed the possibility of 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi making his international debut. Kotak confirmed that while Sooryavanshi will get his opportunities, the team management does not want to be unfair to other in-form players.
Sooryavanshi's Potential Debut and Team Balance
Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Kotak acknowledged Sooryavanshi's exceptional talent but stressed the importance of team balance. "Vaibhav is here for the first time (in senior team environment). I have seen him in the U19. But I think he is an outstanding talent. We all know how he is playing in IPL," Kotak said. He added that players from the U19, India A, or Emerging squads are already familiar with the Team India culture.
"So, it is not that there is a lot of difference for him. But what we were saying is that he should enjoy. If he wants to ask or share something, he should do. Gautam was saying the same thing. You just feel like you are playing for your own team and just say whatever you feel. Rest, he is very good in terms of batting. His adjustment level, his intent are very good," Kotak elaborated.
IPL Performance and Record-Breaking Season
Sooryavanshi earned his maiden national call-up after a sensational IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals, where he amassed 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30, including a century and five fifties. He finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer while smashing a record 72 sixes. The youngster also swept multiple post-season honours, including the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player, Super Striker, and Super Sixes awards.
In the recent tri-nation series in Sri Lanka, featuring Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, Sooryavanshi made 211 runs in five innings at an average of 42.20, with a strike rate of almost 201, including a best score of 94. He also smashed the fastest List A fifty in 11 balls against Sri Lanka A.
Kotak on Dropping In-Form Players
Kotak emphasized that the team will not sacrifice form for potential. "I am sure that he will get his dues and his opportunities. So I do not think that just to give him an opportunity, we should drop someone who has already been scoring runs. That also would not be right. Obviously, it depends on the team management that what we plan to do in this match, which is a different thing. But I think it is a very thin line between trying to give somebody an opportunity and you are being unfair to some other player," the batting coach added.
Shreyas Iyer Leading India for First Time in T20Is
On skipper Shreyas Iyer leading India in T20Is for the first time, Kotak expressed confidence in his leadership abilities. "Shreyas has done a lot of captaincy in IPL, he has done it for Mumbai. So he has a lot of experience. In fact, when he became champion with Gautam in KKR, Shreyas was the captain. So it is not like people are expecting something different from him or he is expecting something different," said Kotak.
Kotak noted that Iyer's message to the team was about unity and support. "The thing that we always have is that we will keep the team first, we will do whatever is needed for the team. I think his speech in the huddle today was the same. That we will look after everyone. Some people will have good days, some people will have a bad day. So we will just make sure that we support each other. So our players, their leadership quality is similar," he concluded.
