India opt to bat against England; 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi makes historic T20I debut
Manchester, July 4
India have won the toss and opted to bat against England in the second T20 in Manchester on Saturday.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi got his maiden India cap from Tilak Varma. The 15-year-old is now the youngest debutant in T20I cricket.
Sooryavanshi also becomes the youngest to play for India in men's internationals.
" We'll bat first again. We've got one change. Vaibhav comes in for Sanju. Absolutely... you've seen him in the last few months, the way he's been batting. Not really. I feel that he completely deserves to be in the squad. He's someone who doesn't take pressure at all. Has an unflinching nature. He's very well aware of what's going to come in these coming matches. The way he bats in the nets and takes on the bowlers, shows what kind of player he is. You see the competition, it's game after game - the amount of talent India produces is pleasing to the eye. Keeps us on our toes. Pressure is a privilege I feel," Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer said during the toss.
"Would've had a bat as well. Was an awesome day. Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to do that again unless we chase down 300. Happy with the selections. Joff is coming back in - strong player for us. Tongue has been knocking on the door. They're both very skilful bowlers and have extremely good slower balls. Also, the ability to nail the yorkers. Yeah, we've done a little bit (homework on Vaibhav)," England skipper Harry Brook said.
Teams: India (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy.
England (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Harry Brook(c), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.
— ANI
Reader Comments
India's bench strength is just unreal. From Sanju Samson to this young prodigy, the talent pipeline is endless. And Shreyas Iyer's captaincy approach is so refreshing - encouraging young players like this. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
It's great to see a 15-year-old debut, but England's bowling attack is no joke with Archer and Tongue. Let's see how he handles pressure at this level. Bodes well for the future of the game though.
Honestly, 15-year-old debuting in international cricket is both thrilling and a bit worrying. Hope the system protects him from burnout. India needs to nurture such raw talent carefully. That said, exciting times! 🙌
India keeps producing these young sensations! First it was Tilak Varma, now Vaibhav. The IPL has really helped uncover such gems. England may have Archer but India has the next generation of superstars. Let's see if he can handle the pace today! 🔥
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi deserves this opportunity - his recent performances have been phenomenal. But I hope the management doesn't rush him. He's still a kid. Focus should be on his development, not immediate results. All the best, young man! 🌟
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