Shreyas Iyer tells Sooryavanshi to wait for T20I opportunity
Iyer says Sooryavanshi must wait behind Abhishek and Samson; India drew T20I series with West Indies 2-2.
India captain Shreyas Iyer said Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to wait for his chance in the T20I side despite his strong IPL 2026 season. Sooryavanshi did not feature in any of the five matches against the West Indies, which India drew 2-2 after the final game was washed out in Bengaluru.
Iyer told the 15-year-old to remain patient and focus on his processes while established openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson continue to perform consistently. Sooryavanshi's last appearance came in the Asian Games final against Pakistan. In eight T20Is so far he has scored 246 runs at a strike rate above 186.
Iyer also noted that better bowling execution in the second and fourth games could have altered the series outcome. The five-match T20I series against New Zealand begins on October 22 in Christchurch.
CricHubb Take
Iyer's public message to Sooryavanshi reveals the tension between a prodigy’s rapid rise and a management that values proven World Cup-winning combinations over potential.