Indian captain Shreyas Iyer refused to reveal whether teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will make his international debut in the opening T20I against England on Wednesday, insisting the players who helped India win the T20 World Cup deserve continued support. Speculation over Sooryavanshi’s inclusion has grown ever since the 15-year-old was named in India’s squads for the tours of Ireland and England. However, handing over a debut would require India to break up their successful opening partnership Saint Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Addressing the media on the eve of the series opener, Iyer said the priority of the team management is to provide stability and confidence to the current group. “Look, all the players in the team did well, it’s not that only one individual did well. “But we have to build that opportunity and security, so that each individual has confidence going forward in the tournaments. The players who won the last World Cup definitely have an idea of ​​how to play T20, and they have continuously been the main pillars of that format, so it is very important to support them. When asked directly if Sooryavanshi will feature in the playing XI, Iyer chose not to divulge the team’s plans. “You never know what’s going to happen. Our hands are still tied at the moment as to what we’re going to do. This is very private. “This is something that we discuss in the team. We can’t let everyone know what combination we are going to play and that the opponents know that this will happen. He is a prodigy and every time he has the opportunity to play, definitely, he will do (a) brilliant (work).” The India boss also dismissed suggestions that there was outside pressure on the team to give the youngster his debut. “I haven’t seen anything like that. Really, I don’t know. I don’t follow the news, I don’t follow what’s going on in social media. I haven’t heard anything.”
Iyer reflects on Ireland’s clash
Iyer also reflected on India’s recent 0-2 T20I series defeat to Ireland, admitting the result was disappointing but insisting it offered valuable lessons. “It wasn’t embarrassing but it was depressing for us because we certainly didn’t expect Ireland to play so well. “They surpassed us in every department, they had brilliant ideas about the dimensions of the ground, and we went down in terms of analyzing and planning the ground and the dimensions, and how the wicket will be played.” He credited Ireland for their performance while expressing confidence that India will progress. “Credit to them, but we learned a lot from that series. This is a completely new chapter for us coming here. “A couple of us have played in England before, and we know the conditions (and) the dimensions there. So, we are expecting an intense and challenging series.”
The conditions in Belfast caught India off guard
According to Iyer, India’s inability to adapt quickly to the unique conditions in Belfast contributed to the loss of the series. “(In) Belfast, we played after so many years. “It’s not a reason (for the series loss), but I’m just saying that (in) acclimatised to the wicket (and) to the conditions, we fall a little short, (anso) in terms of reading the outfield.” He described the venue as different from the grounds the Indian players are used to. “The Belfast ground definitely wasn’t a stadium. The outfield was a bit slow, and it wasn’t. The dimensions were also a bit squarish. “Even as captain, for me (while) setting the field, it felt a little strange, because we are not used to it. We played in the IPL, all the grounds were perfect even from every direction. So, it was a bit of a challenge.” Iyer believes the conditions in England will be more familiar. “Here (England), the dimensions are very similar, but the ground is flat, and if you feel the atmosphere of the stadium, the crowd would also be intense. We played in such conditions, such situations before. So, yes, (we are) building in it.”
“I trust my instinct”
Despite modest returns during the Ireland series, Iyer said he remains confident of his own batting. “The way I timed the ball in the nets, even in the previous game, I thought I timed it brilliantly, only the odd ball bounced and took an inside tip. “This is not justified by how my bat is or how much pressure I take. I definitely believe in my instincts. I know how well I play under pressure.”