Manjrekar warns Sanju Samson as Vaibhav Sooryavans...

By Priya Nair — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

Pressure on India’s T20I Openers

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has issued a warning to Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, stating that young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a significant contender for an opening spot in the India T20I squad. Manjrekar’s comments follow India’s defeat in the opening match of their two-game T20I series against Ireland in Belfast.

India, under new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, lost by 34 runs in the first game. This loss has intensified discussions about whether Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old batting prodigy, should be given his international debut in the upcoming second and final T20I at the same venue.

For the series opener, the team management chose to retain the established opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, leaving Sooryavanshi on the bench. The question of whether the teenage batter will get an opportunity in the next match is a major talking point ahead of Sunday’s fixture.

Samson’s Performance and Sooryavanshi’s Rise

Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year, did not make a significant impact against Ireland. The wicketkeeper-batter scored only five runs from four deliveries before being dismissed.

Manjrekar, speaking after India’s defeat, highlighted the increasing competition for places at the top of the batting order. He specifically mentioned that Samson needs to be cautious due to Sooryavanshi’s strong form. Sooryavanshi’s impressive domestic and IPL seasons have positioned him as a strong candidate for an opening role.

In the IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi was the Most Valuable Player and Orange Cap winner for the Rajasthan Royals, accumulating 776 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30. Before joining the senior national team for his maiden series in Ireland, he also represented India A in a one-day tri-nation series in Sri Lanka. During that tournament, he scored 94 runs off 29 balls in the final against Sri Lanka A, including an 11-ball fifty, contributing to India A’s 66-run victory.

Manjrekar’s Perspective on Batting Order

Despite acknowledging Sooryavanshi’s talent, Manjrekar suggested that the youngster alone might not have altered the outcome of the first game. He explained that the challenging chase required both an explosive start and sustained momentum, making it a difficult task regardless of who opened the innings.

Manjrekar noted that Sooryavanshi had faced similar challenges during the tri-series in Dambulla, where consistently hitting sixes proved difficult. While he believes Sooryavanshi could have made a difference during the Powerplay, Manjrekar maintained that there is currently no open spot at the top of India’s batting order.

He further elaborated that while Sooryavanshi might have performed slightly better than Abhishek Sharma, the overall target and conditions in Belfast were challenging. Manjrekar also reiterated that hitting sixes is not always easy, a point that was evident in the Dambulla tri-series.

Manjrekar concluded by stating that while there might be a place for Sooryavanshi in the middle order, he does not believe there is a vacancy at the top of the batting order. India will aim to level the series when they face Ireland in the second and final T20I on Sunday.