Major reset on T20 cards: Shreyas Iyer set for top job, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in line for debut

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Shreyas Iyer MUMBAI: Indian cricket is set for a major shake-up when the Ajit Agarkar-led national selection panel meets at the BCCI headquarters on Saturday to pick the squads for the T20I tour of Ireland and England.The biggest change is expected at the top. Shreyas Iyer is set to be named India’s new T20 captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav, whose long-term slump in form is likely to cost him both the captaincy and a place in the team. Tilak Varma is expected to be named vice-captain as the selectors begin charting India’s road map towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, followed by the T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.Another major talking point is likely to be the first call-up of 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, at least for the two-match T20I series in Ireland. IPL-2026 opener Bihar’s numbers cannot be ignored. He finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 776 runs at a staggering 237.30, smashing a record 72 sixes.The selectors also name the squads for the Asian Games in Japan and India A’s multi-day tour of Sri Lanka.Tilak could lead the Asian Games side and Sooryavanshi is also in contention. While Sooryavanshi’s rise was meteoric, Surya’s fortunes went in the opposite direction. The 35-year-old managed just 270 runs in IPL 2026 at 20:76 and continued to struggle in the T20 Mumbai League.Although he led India to the T20 World Cup title earlier this year, his poor results over the last 18 months seem to have worn out the selectors’ patience. Voters can also reward a few budding artists. Delhi pacer Prince Yadav and left-arm spin all-rounder Harsh Dubey, both recently picked in the ODI squad against Afghanistan, are strong contenders for the first T20 call-up.