India T20I captain Shreyas Iyer has clarified that young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cannot directly walk into the team’s playing eleven, pointing to the consistent performances of openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.
Speaking ahead of the five-match T20I series opener against New Zealand in Christchurch, Iyer emphasized that while the teenager is a major talent, existing combinations and World Cup-winning momentum currently dictate selection.
Since making his debut on the England and Ireland tour earlier this year, Sooryavanshi has featured in only 8 out of 21 T20Is. Iyer noted that keeping a talent like Sooryavanshi happy around the dressing room environment is essential, adding that overseas exposure will heavily benefit his long-term preparation.
Meanwhile, India is gearing up to face pace-friendly conditions and cold weather in New Zealand following a heavy international schedule, with the first T20I scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2026.
