Shreyas Iyer’s Sooryavanshi interview insults ex-captain: No way to talk

Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has launched a scathing attack on captain Shreyas Iyer and the team management for the way they treated teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the senior team’s recently concluded UK tour. Srikkanth came down heavily on Iyer for defending the decision to drop the 15-year-old prodigy for the T20I final against England in Southampton.

In his YouTube appearance, the former chief selector expressed deep disappointment over Iyer’s pre-match toss remarks, where India suffered a 56-run defeat to hand England the series 4–0.

Srikkanth took particular exception to Iyer’s rationale for dropping the Bihar left-hander, who recently became India’s youngest ever international debutant at the age of 15 years and 99 days, in favor of the returning Sanju Samson.

Explaining the team’s selection in the draw, Iyer stated, “I feel now is the time for us to try out what’s best for us as a team. So based on that, we’ve decided like this.”

The decision did not pay dividends as the Indian bowlers were dismantled, conceding a massive 257 runs after a spectacular 131 from England captain Jose Buttler. In response, Samson, who was dismissed three matches earlier in the series, hit a 14-ball 27 but failed to capitalize on his start during a dismal chase.

“I was so upset with the conversation after the toss,” Srikkanth said.

“You don’t talk like that. What matters is how you treat your players, how you build a young team. If this is the way forward, the way forward is to change everyone (the management group). He said we want to take the best way forward. If you are willing to drop players based on their performance, the same yardstick should apply to Gautam Gambhir, you say the same applies to the captain. What should you use for the captain too?

“What did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi do wrong? Is this how you bring up young players?”

Sooryavanshi quickly rose to the national side after a historic IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals, where he became the youngest ever Orange Cap winner after smashing 776 runs. After sitting out the opening games, he was capped in Manchester where he made three appearances in the series. While the teenager showed flashes of his explosive talent, he looked to repeat his domestic dominance, posting scores of 14, 13 and 15, falling to England paceman Jofro Archer twice in three innings.

WHAT SRIKKANTH SAID TO 16 YEAR OLD SACHIN

Srikkanth fiercely defended the youngster, drawing a direct parallel with his own stint as India captain in 1989 when he handed a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar his international debut on a notoriously hostile tour of Pakistan.

“Shreyas Iyer said ‘we want to get back to the best possible’ while bowling. Is that your best way forward? What is this interview? If you thought Sanju Samson was the best fit, you should have gone ahead with him. Why bring in Vaibhav and then let him go? Why spoil his future? You all are destroying his confidence and you told me Sachin Tenduloukar told me he made his debut in Sachin Tendula6. you are playing this tour fearlessly.

“Shouldn’t Gambhir and Shreyas have given Sooryavanshi that much trust? This is not fair. I am very upset with the way they are treating Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.”

The selection dilemma was highlighted by a messy tour to India, who returned from the British Isles without a single win after suffering a 0-2 defeat in Ireland and then a 0-4 defeat in England. The team’s management drew heavy criticism for constantly shuffling resources at the top of the order. Samson, despite being named player of the tournament in the recent T20 World Cup, was dropped after just three matches, while Sooryavanshi was denied a longer run after his first-class debut at Old Trafford.

Composition selection confusion, selectors have completely has left Samson out of the upcoming three-match T20I tour Zimbabwe later this month and chose Prabhsimran Singh as the back-up wicketkeeper.

While the rest of the batting core remains unchanged and Sooryavanshi has retained his place in the team, the erratic handling of Samson has sparked widespread concern about the lack of structural consistency within the current leadership group.

– The end

Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

Jul 13, 2026 1:16 PM IST