NEW DELHI: England have already named their playing XI for the opening T20I against India, with star fast bowler Jofra Archer left out of the match at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street, Durham.Now, the focus shifts to Indian captain Shreyas Iyer, who will announce India’s playing eleven at the toss. Will India stick with the same team that lost the T20I series in Ireland? Or will teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi finally make his international debut?
Srikkanth names the India XI
Former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth has picked the XI he wants to see in the first T20I against England.After India’s disappointing 0-2 series loss to Ireland, Srikkanth believes the batting will have to feature Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube.It also supported the return of Varun Chakravarthy alongside Axar Patel as the two spin options, while Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav and Arshdeep Singh completed their pace attack.Kris Srikkanth’s India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy.
“Vaibhav should play against Ireland”
Srikkanth believes Sooryavanshi missed a big opportunity in the second T20I against Ireland.The 15-year-old earned his call-up to India after a sensational IPL 2026, where he scored 776 runs in 16 matches for Rajasthan Royals at a strike rate of 237.30 and helped the team reach the playoffs.“He (Suryavanshi) should have 100% played in the second T20I against Ireland. Abhishek Sharma should have been rested as he had a brilliant 50 in the first match. Instead of him, Suryavanshi should have played. Abhishek Sharma is a certainty anyway, so Vaibhav Suryavanshi could have had a second chance to play on YouTube channel Srekanth.”
Because Srikkanth doesn’t want any changes now
Although he wanted Sooryavanshi to play in Ireland, Srikkanth feels that India should not change the opening combination at the start of the England series.“For all you know, he could have won the game because he did well in difficult conditions in the IPL. But now that he hasn’t played against Ireland, I haven’t played him in the first two T20Is against England,” he said.
