Sooryavanshi could play his first match during the two-game T20I series starting in Belfast on June 26
Published: June 24, 2026, 4:18 PM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/sports/it-will-be-history-former-india-and-ireland-cricketer-looking-forward-to-vaibhav-sooryavanshis-debut-in-ireland-he-is-8455902/
Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi walks off the field after his dismissal during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Qualifier 2 match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Friday, May 29, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
Cricket fans across Europe are rushing in to buy last-minute tickets to see India’s 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who might make his India debut against Ireland, according to former India and Ireland cricketer MV Narasimha Rao.
Sooryavanshi could play his first match during the two-game T20I series starting in Belfast on June 26. Rao noted that the excitement is huge, with fans from cities like Paris trying to travel for the game. Because Belfast’s Stormont ground has limited seating, local organizers may need to add extra seats to accommodate the crowd.
Also Read: Bad news for Virat Kohli fans ahead of England ODI series, captain Shubman Gill has…
“I think they (local organisers) will have to put more seats because this stadium (Stormont ground) has only 7000 seats or something. Already, people from other parts of Europe like Paris etc want to come, hopefully, we can find a way to accommodate them,” Rao told PTI from Strabane, Ireland.
“So, I think it will be history, a momentous day if he makes his debut in Ireland. It was unexpected, and in the last 10 days, it’s really a big excitement here,” he added.
Rao, who played for both countries, believes the youngster will like batting in Belfast because the pitches are generally slow and the home team lacks extreme pace. However, he warned that the subsequent series in England will be a much tougher test due to the swinging ball and changing weather.
“He’s phenomenal, great to watch and I’d watched him on the television during the IPL. He may enjoy batting as the wickets here are generally slow and Ireland doesn’t have the same kind of fast bowlers, you know, with pace. But once he goes to England, it’ll be a big test for him because the ball moves there and weather too changes even in the short duration of a T20,” Rao said.
Comparing Sooryavanshi’s style to West Indies legend Gary Sobers, Rao praised Sooryavanshi’s high backswing, quick ball-tracking, and ability to play every shot.
“He reminds me — from a few of the matches I watched of Gary Sobers — the high backswing and the bat, straight it comes, and he picks up the ball very quickly,” Rao added.
Still, the veteran coach advised the teenager to stay grounded, fit, and disciplined just like Sachin Tendulkar. “He has God-given talent. But my word is that — like Sachin Tendulkar — he should keep his head down and feet on the ground. He should maintain that discipline of fitness and practise hard and adapt to different wickets,” Rao concluded.
India’s tour of Ireland schedule and squad
1st T20I: Friday, June 26 at Belfast.
2nd T20I: Sunday, June 28 at Belfast.
Squad: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prasidh Krishna.
