Former captain Michael Vaughan suggested that England should consider sending India out to field first in the upcoming T20I series so that the bowlers get a shot against a relatively tired Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who is still settling in as a fielder. The 15-year-old sensation largely featured as an impact sub in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season for the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Vaibhav Suryavanshi earned his maiden Team India call-up for the Ireland and England T20Is after his stunning run of form. While he had to settle for a place on the bench in the series opener in Belfast on Friday, June 26, the youngster will have a role to play in the upcoming five-match T20I series against Harry Brook and co.
With no impact sub rule in place in T20Is, Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be expected to take the field along with the rest of the team when part of the playing XI. Michael Vaughan feels English bowlers might have a chance if they get to exploit the opening batter after he has spent some time on the field.
“The one thing he’s going to have to cope with is his fielding. There’s no impact sub where he can sit on the bench. If I was England, I’d ask India to field first because then by the time Suryavanshi comes to bat, he might be tired,” Michael Vaughan said on Ajinkya Rahane’s YouTube channel.
Although Suryavanshi featured as a fielder only sporadically in the IPL, he recently featured in the List-A tri-series for India ‘A’ in Sri Lanka, where he had to field for 50 overs consistently. He even took a stunning catch during the round-robin clash against Afghanistan ‘A’ in Dambulla.
“It is almost as if a 15-year-old has sent a message to the rest of the world” – Michael Vaughan credits Vaibhav Suryavanshi for revolutionising T20 batting
Michael Vaughan shed light on the genuine hype in England ahead of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s arrival, and credited him for setting a new standard in T20 batting with his explosive approach.
“There’s only one name that is being talked about here and that is the 15-year-old kid. I think T20 cricket, particularly through Vaibhav Suryavanshi, has taken the game to 230 being a par score. I think that is the norm now, teams are looking to get 230-plus. Opening batters are going harder than ever. It is almost as if a 15-year-old has sent a message to the rest of the world that T20 cricket can go to another level,” Michael Vaughan said.
India and England will kick-start the five-match T20I series with the first contest scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, at the Riverside Ground.
Edited by Gokul Nair