Former India captain criticizes Shreyas Iyer, Gaut...

By Priya Nair — 14 July 2026 — 3 min read

Concerns over player development

Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has voiced strong criticism regarding the handling of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old player, during India’s recent T20I tours of Ireland and England. Srikkanth expressed his disappointment with the team management, particularly captain Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir, over their approach to young talent.

Sooryavanshi was initially part of the squad for the Ireland series but did not feature in any matches. He was subsequently included in the playing XI for the series against England after Sanju Samson struggled to score runs. However, after participating in three matches, the young player was dropped again for the fifth and final T20I of the series, which India lost 0-4.

Srikkanth specifically highlighted his dissatisfaction with Iyer’s explanation for the team changes, which was given during the toss before the final T20I. Iyer had stated, “I feel this is the time we need to try what’s the best going forward for us as a team. So based on that, we decided this.” This remark, according to Srikkanth, did not sit well with him.

Questioning the team’s approach

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth questioned the team’s overall strategy concerning young players. He emphasized that the same performance standards should be applied consistently to everyone within the team setup, including the leadership.

“This is not the way to talk. How you are treating your players, how you are forming a young team is important,” Srikkanth remarked. He further added that if dropping players based on performance is the chosen path, then the same criteria should extend to Gautam Gambhir and the captain himself, questioning their own performance.

Sooryavanshi was brought into the side after Sanju Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament at this year’s T20 World Cup, failed to score in three consecutive innings. The teenager’s scores in his three appearances were 14 in Manchester, 13 in Nottingham, and 15 in Bristol, before he was left out of the final match.

Srikkanth posed the question, “What wrong did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi do? Is this how you groom young players?” He believes that such treatment can ruin a young player’s confidence and future.

Lessons from past experiences

The former India opener drew a parallel to his own captaincy experience when he gave a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar his international debut during the 1989 tour of Pakistan. Srikkanth recounted telling Tendulkar at the time that he would not be dropped during that tour, encouraging him to play fearlessly. He stressed the importance of backing young players to build their confidence.

Srikkanth argued that the current leadership, including Gambhir and Iyer, should have shown similar faith in Sooryavanshi instead of dropping him after only three matches. He expressed his strong disapproval, stating, “Should Gambhir and Shreyas not give Sooryavanshi that kind of confidence? It’s not fair. I am very upset with the way they are treating Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.”

Sooryavanshi had earned his place in the Indian squad following a successful IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals, where he became the youngest-ever Orange Cap winner after scoring 776 runs. Despite his domestic success, he was unable to make a significant impact in his international debut series, being dismissed twice by England pacer Jofra Archer.

The controversy surrounding Sooryavanshi’s treatment has added to the scrutiny of India’s disappointing UK tour, where the team failed to secure a single victory, losing 0-2 against Ireland and then being swept 0-4 by England in the T20I series. The team management has also faced criticism for frequently changing its opening combination during the tour.

Srikkanth’s comments underscore a broader concern about player management and the cultivation of emerging talent within the national team setup, particularly in light of the team’s performance in the T20I series.

The decision to drop Sooryavanshi for the final T20I against England in Southampton, where India suffered a 56-run defeat, has been a central point of contention.