Indian captain Shreyas Iyer refused to reveal whether young batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will play in the opening T20I against England on Wednesday, stressing that the players who helped India win the T20 World Cup deserve support. Speculation about Sooryavanshi’s inclusion has grown ever since the 15-year-old was selected in India’s squad for the tour of Ireland and England. However, giving him a start would require India to share their opening partnership Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Speaking to the media on the opening evening of the match, Iyer said that the team management’s priority is to provide stability and confidence to the existing team. “Look, all the players in this team have done well, not just one person has done well. “But we have to create this opportunity with security, so that everyone can be confident going forward in the tournament. The players who won the last World Cup have an idea of ​​how to play T20, and they have continuously been the main pillars of this game, so it is very important to support them.” When asked directly if Sooryavanshi would feature in the playing XI, Iyer chose not to reveal the team’s plans. “You never know what will happen, our hands are tied at the moment as to what we will do, this is very secret. “This is what we discuss in the team. We cannot inform anyone about the combination we will play and let the opposition know that this will happen. He is stupid and when he gets a chance to play, he will do (a) smart (job).” The Indian skipper also dismissed suggestions that there is any pressure from outside the team to give the youngster his game. “I don’t see anything like that. To be honest, I don’t know. I don’t follow the news, or what’s going on in the media. I haven’t heard anything.”
Iyer shows Ireland’s comeback
Iyer also looked back at India’s recent 0-2 T20I defeat in Ireland, admitting the result was disappointing but insisting it taught valuable lessons. “It wasn’t embarrassing, but it was disappointing for us, because we didn’t expect Ireland to play well. “They surpassed us in all departments, they had a good idea about the size of the ground, and we failed to analyze and fix the location and dimensions, and how the wicket will be played.” He praised Ireland for their performance while expressing his confidence that India will progress. “Congratulations to them, but we have learned a lot from this series. This is a new chapter for us to come here. “Several of us have played in England before, and we know the conditions (and) the standards here. So, we are expecting a strong and tough line-up.”
The situation in Belfast disturbed India
According to Iyer, India’s failure to adapt to the situation in Belfast contributed to the loss of the series. “(In) Belfast, we played after many years. “It’s not the reason (for the loss of the series), but I’m just saying that (on) getting used to the wicket (and) to the conditions, we failed a little bit, (also) in reading the outside field.” He said the stadium is different from what Indian players are used to. “The Belfast stadium was not a stadium. The outfield was slow, and it wasn’t even. The dimensions were also very small. “Also as a manager, for me (when) I put the field, it seemed strange, because we are not used to it. We were playing in the IPL, all the places were perfect even on all sides. So, it was a little difficult.” Iyer believes that what is happening in England will be well known. “Here (England), the dimensions are very similar, but the floor is flat, and you feel the stadium vibe, the crowd will be very strong. We have played in such conditions, such conditions before. So, yes, (we) are building in it.
‘I trust my instincts’
Despite his limited comeback in the Ireland series, Iyer said he remains confident in his batting. “The way I set the ball in the net, even in the previous game, I thought I was timing it well, the odd ball hit and went in. “This doesn’t determine how good my batting is or how much pressure I’m under. I definitely believe in my instincts. I know how well I play under pressure.”
