India have announced significant changes to their T20 set-up, appointing Shreyas Iyer as the new captain and handing a maiden national-team call-up to 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The squad has been named for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, as well as the Asian Games in Japan.
The appointment of Iyer confirms widespread speculation regarding India’s leadership plans in the shortest format. The right-handed batter last played a T20 international for India in 2023 but now returns not only to the squad but also as captain.
The announcement also marks the end of Suryakumar Yadav’s tenure as T20 captain. Despite leading India to the T20 World Cup title earlier this year during February and March, the 35-year-old has not only lost the captaincy but has also been omitted from the squad.
One of the most notable selections is that of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who has earned his first senior national call-up at the age of 15. The young batter forced his way into contention through outstanding performances in the Indian Premier League, where he amassed 776 runs at a strike rate exceeding 200.
India are scheduled to play two T20 internationals against Ireland in Belfast on 26 and 28 June before travelling to England for a five-match T20 series from 1 to 11 July.
Should Suryavanshi make his debut on either tour, he will become the first Indian cricketer to play international cricket before reaching the age of 16. The current benchmark among India’s most celebrated young debutants belongs to Sachin Tendulkar, who made his Test debut at 16 years and 205 days and his One-Day International debut at 16 years and 238 days.
Several other players have also been included in the squad. Nitish Kumar, Ravi Bishnoi and Prince Yadav have all received opportunities, while Rinku Singh and Kuldeep Yadav have been left out despite being part of India’s World Cup-winning squad.
Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested from the Ireland and England assignments. Bumrah, however, has been selected for the Asian Games squad.
Key squad developments
| Player | Status |
|---|---|
| Shreyas Iyer | Appointed T20 captain |
| Vaibhav Suryavanshi | First national-team call-up |
| Suryakumar Yadav | Omitted from squad |
| Nitish Kumar | Selected |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Selected |
| Prince Yadav | Selected |
| Rinku Singh | Omitted |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Omitted |
| Hardik Pandya | Rested |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Rested for tours, selected for Asian Games |
Suryakumar’s omission comes despite his role in India’s successful World Cup campaign. However, his recent performances have been modest. During the 2026 T20 World Cup, he scored 242 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 136.72. In the 2026 IPL season, he managed 270 runs in 13 innings, averaging 20.76 with a strike rate of 147.54.
By contrast, Iyer has enjoyed strong form both as a batter and as a leader. Under his captaincy, Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL title in 2024, while Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings reached the IPL final in 2020 and 2025 respectively. His batting numbers have also remained impressive, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 in IPL 2025 and 498 runs at a strike rate of 168.81 in IPL 2026.
The squad announcement therefore signals both a leadership transition and a focus on emerging talent, with India preparing for a busy international schedule and the next phase of their T20 programme.