‘Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will put it under more pressure’: Sunil Gavaskar warns Team India management

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s wait for his India debut continued as the 15-year-old was once again left out of the playing XI for the first T20I against England. Despite being one of the standout players in IPL 2026, where he scored 776 runs in 16 innings and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, the young batsman will have to wait longer for his chance at the international level. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the continued wait could increase the pressure on the teenager whenever he finally gets his chance. However, he also feels that Sooryavanshi’s age could help him deal with the expectations better.“It (the delay) puts him under more pressure whenever he gets an opportunity. But at 15, you don’t think too much about the pressure. He knows that if he gets an opportunity in the second or third game, he’s going to have to serve almost immediately. It’s there. But he’s happy to be there. This Indian team is full of beautiful, amazing players who are learning from them on Sony Sports.If Sooryavanshi plays later in the series, he will become the youngest player to appear in a top-level men’s T20 international, surpassing Ireland’s Joshua Little. He would also become the youngest player to represent the Indian senior men’s team, breaking a record that has stood since Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut at 16.Meanwhile, the opening T20I between India and England was abandoned due to persistent rain, leading to no result. Towards the end of India’s innings, the rain started and then intensified, forcing the umpires to call off the match with little time left before the five-over deadline.Before the collapse, India posted a competitive 189 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. Captain Shreyas Iyer led the charge with a 47-ball 68 while opener Abhishek Sharma contributed 59. Shivam Dube provided the late success with an unbeaten 42 off just 21 deliveries.England pacer Saqib Mahmood was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 3 for 33. The second match of the five-match T20I series will be played in Manchester on July 4.