3 players who Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could replace in India's 11 for IRE vs IND 2nd T20I
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was not selected for the first T20I.
India are playing a T20I series against Ireland, which started on June 26. This is a two-match series, with the second match to be played on June 28, in Belfast. The Men in Blue lost the first encounter by 34 runs.
Shreyas Iyer and Co. opted to field first in the 1st T20I. Harshit Rana shone with 3 wickets, while Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel claimed two scalps each. However, Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar conceded many runs and failed to take any wickets.
While chasing 183 in the second innings, Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube scored 50 and 25 runs, respectively. Meanwhile, none of the other batsmen could even cross the 20-run mark, and India were eventually bowled out in 18.5 overs, falling short by 34 runs.
Many key Indian batters failed to score runs, including T20 World Cup champions Sanju Samson (5), Ishan Kishan (1), Tilak Varma (19), and Captain Shreyas Iyer (3). This top-order failure could push India to make space for the recent IPL sensation, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, in the team.
Vaibhav has played memorable knocks in the ICC U19 World Cup 2026 final (175), the IPL 2026 Eliminator (97), Qualifier 2 (94), and the Tri-Nation A Series final (94). The 2nd IRE vs IND T20I could be the game where the 15-year-old makes his international debut.
On that note, let’s take a look at the three players who could make space for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the 2nd T20I.
Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan scored only 1 run in the 1st T20I and got out cheaply. He was in great form ahead of this series and has had a decent IPL 2026 campaign, scoring more than 600 runs batting at No. 3 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He also led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali title in December 2025.
He must be tired from playing white-ball cricket continuously over the past few months, hence he might be rested for the next match.
Ishan has also been selected for the white-ball series against England, and his form in that series is more crucial for the team. Sooryavanshi can open the innings if Ishan rests, and Sanju can play at No.3.
Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson had a forgettable outing in the first T20I, scoring only 5 runs. He opened the innings with his World Cup opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, but he could not contribute much.
Sanju offers a right-handed batting option in a line-up dominated by left-handers; however, players like Abhishek, Vaibhav, and Ishan are more aggressive in the top order and can single-handedly snatch the match away from the opposition.
Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma scored 19 runs off 21 balls in the 1st T20I. Many have attributed his game against spin in the middle overs as relatively slow. He bats at No. 5 in T20Is and often has to bat during the middle overs when the team is struggling. His strike rotation has been under question.
Although he is the team’s vice-captain, it is also important to consider the team’s balance. If Vaibhav replaces Varma, then Ishan Kishan can bat at No. 5, and Sooryavanshi can open the innings.
India need to win the match on June 28 to draw the series 1-1. They are set to meet England for a 5-match T20I series shortly after this fixture.
When is the second IRE vs IND T20I?
The 2nd IRE vs IND T20I is scheduled on Sunday, June 28.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play the 2nd IRE vs IND T20I?
There are chances of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi playing the 2nd IRE vs IND T20I
For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.