Shreyas Iyer named T20I captain as Prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi earns historic call-up

Goa Khabar : A major overhaul has hit India’s T20 International setup as Shreyas Iyer has been appointed the new captain, replacing the T20 World Cup 2026-winning skipper Suryakumar Yadav. In a historic move, 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been included in the squad for the upcoming twin tours of Ireland and England. At just 15 years and 71 days old, Sooryavanshi breaks a legendary record to become the youngest-ever player selected for an Indian national cricket team squad, surpassing the iconic Sachin Tendulkar.

The upcoming white-ball assignment features two T20Is in Ireland scheduled for late June, immediately followed by a high-profile five-match T20I series against England running into early July.

The leadership transition and key inclusions

Shreyas Iyer marks his return to the national T20 configuration for the first time since December 2023. His appointment to the helm comes on the back of stellar leadership credentials in the Indian Premier League, where he guided the Kolkata Knight Riders to a title in 2024 and led the Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, paired with two seasons of highly consistent batting performances. Middle-order batter Tilak Varma has been named his deputy for the tours.

The squad also rewards domestic performance, introducing pace bowler Prince Yadav following a standout season with the Lucknow Super Giants. Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi’s maiden call-up follows an extraordinary IPL campaign where he secured the Orange Cap by amassed 776 runs, featuring a century and five half-centuries at an astonishing strike rate of 237.30.

Roster announcements across formats

The Board has finalized a robust 16-member contingent for the England and Ireland assignments, combining explosive top-order options, versatile all-rounders, and a balanced bowling attack. Additionally, the selectors named a strikingly similar squad for the upcoming Asian Games, maintaining Shreyas’s leadership but bolstering the bowling ranks with the inclusion of ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah.

Simultaneously, a completely different red-ball blueprint has been laid out for the multi-day matches in Sri Lanka. Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel will captain that squad, with top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal serving as vice-captain alongside a host of prominent domestic performers and emerging red-ball specialists.