Vaibhav Suryavanshi Misses Out on India Debut Against Ireland; Captain Shreyas Iyer Explains Why

New Delhi: Millions of Indian fans were waiting for the moment. The 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi was supposed to make his international debut on Friday against Ireland in a T20I match. But his name was not in the playing eleven. So the wait goes on. Captain Shreyas Iyer explained at the toss why the team left him out. Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl first. He said most of the team is playing on this ground for the first time. The conditions are new. So bowling first was the right call. When asked about Vaibhav's debut, Iyer praised the young batter. But he made clear that Vaibhav has to wait.

What Iyer had said?

Iyer said, "Unfortunately Vaibhav is not playing this match. He is a gun player, but we have experienced players in the team who have performed well for India recently. We are backing those players who have played great cricket all season. Vaibhav will get his chance when the time is right." The message was clear that the team management wants experience right now. Vaibhav is being prepared for the future.

What the instructions from Gambhir?

Iyer also spoke about head coach Gautam Gambhir's message to the players. Gambhir told them to trust themselves and play the game freely. Don't be scared on the field. Iyer said, "Gautam Gambhir told the players to have faith in themselves. Play your game openly. Have no fear on the field. We need to adapt to the conditions quickly. We have practiced well for this."

One match at a time?

India is T20 World Cup champions. This series is the start of a new phase. But Iyer said the team is not thinking about the future right now. He said, "We are focusing on one match at a time. The ultimate goal is big, but right now our entire focus is on performing well in this series against Ireland."

How was his captaincy?

Iyer talked about how he leads. He keeps things simple. He tells players not to overcomplicate cricket. Be in the moment. Enjoy the game. Give your best.
He said: "I always say don't make cricket too complicated. Be present. Have fun. Give your best. That is what matters most."

Playing XI for Match

India's eleven: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna.

What will be the Vaibhav's future?

Vaibhav did not get the chance in the first match. But Iyer's words suggest the team thinks he is a big player for the future. Fans are now looking at the next match. That might be where the 15-year-old finally wears the India jersey.