NEW DELHI: England have named their playing XI for the opening T20I against India, with star fast bowler Jofra Archer ruled out of the match at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street, Durham.Now, the focus has shifted to Indian captain Shreyas Iyer, who will announce India’s playing XI later. Will India stick with the same team that lost the T20I series in Ireland? Or will teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi finally make his international debut?
Srikkanth named his India XI
Former India opener Kris Srikkanth has picked the XI he wants to see in the first T20I against England.After India’s disappointing 0-2 loss to Ireland, Srikkanth believes that the batting should feature Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube.He also backed the return of Varun Chakravarthy with Axar Patel as the two spin options, while Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav and Arshdeep Singh completed his pace attack.Kris Srikkanth’s India XI. Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy.
‘Vaibhav should play against Ireland’
Srikkanth believes that Sooryavanshi missed a big chance in the second T20I against Ireland.The 15-year-old earned his call-up to India after a sensational IPL 2026, where he scored 776 runs in 16 matches for Rajasthan Royals at a strike rate of 237.30 and helped the team reach the playoffs.“He (Suryavanshi) should have played 100% in the second T20I against Ireland. Abhishek Sharma should have been rested as he had a brilliant 50 in the first match. Instead of him, Suryavanshi should have played. Abhishek Sharma is still a certainty so Vaibhav Suryavanshi should have got a chance to play his second Srik Ireland match on his YouTube channel,”
Why doesn’t Srikkanth want changes now?
Although he wants Sooryavanshi to play in Ireland, Srikkanth feels that India should not change the opening combination at the start of the England series.“As you know, he might have won them the game because he did well in difficult conditions in the IPL. But now that he hasn’t played against Ireland, I won’t play him in the first two T20Is against England,” he said.