Team India Off to Ireland and England: Shreyas Iyer Leads New Look Squad as Teen Star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Joins the Flight

The Indian men’s cricket team has officially left for its much-anticipated white-ball tour of Ireland and England, departing from Chennai International Airport on Monday as preparations begin for a packed international schedule.

Led by newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, the Men in Blue will first take on Ireland in a two-match T20I series before heading to England for a blockbuster five-match T20I series followed by three One-Day Internationals.

The Ireland leg of the tour, starting on June 26 in Dublin, will be India’s first T20I assignment since winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, making it an important transition point for the team.

With major tournaments like the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the next ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand on the horizon, this series is expected to play a big role in shaping India’s next-generation T20 core.

One of the biggest highlights of the squad is the inclusion of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the teenage batting sensation who has taken Indian cricket by storm.

At just 15 years and 71 days old, Sooryavanshi became the youngest-ever player selected for the Indian men’s team, breaking the long-standing record of legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar. The left-hander enters the squad after a sensational run across India A, the Under-19 World Cup, and IPL 2026.

Another fresh face on the tour is fast bowler Prince Yadav, who has received his maiden senior India call-up after impressive performances in the Indian Premier League.

The squad also sees the return of several familiar names. All-rounder Harshit Rana is back after recovering from surgery for a meniscus tear, while leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi returns to strengthen India’s spin attack.

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India, however, suffered a setback before departure as senior pacer Mohammed Siraj was ruled out. In his place, Prasidh Krishna has been added to the squad.

After completing the Ireland series on June 28, India will travel to England for a longer and more challenging white-ball contest. The five-match T20I series begins on July 1, while the ODI series will run from July 14 to July 19.

For the ODI leg, Shubman Gill will take charge as captain, with Shreyas Iyer serving as vice-captain.

The ODI squad also marks the expected return of batting superstar Virat Kohli, who missed the recent Afghanistan series due to a hamstring injury sustained during IPL 2026. However, his participation remains dependent on final fitness clearance from the BCCI.

Meanwhile, India’s all-round balance has taken another hit with Nitish Kumar Reddy reportedly ruled out of the UK white-ball tour due to a quadriceps injury.

With young talents getting opportunities and senior stars making comebacks, the upcoming tour promises to be an important test for India’s squad depth and future planning.

The journey has begun — and for many, this could be the start of a new chapter in Indian cricket.