India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has expressed full confidence in 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, stating he is absolutely ready for international cricket, while also stressing the need for patience and continuity in team selection after India suffered a 2-0 T20I series whitewash against Ireland.
Ten Doeschate backs Sooryavanshi's readiness
Speaking after India's shock series defeat in Belfast, ten Doeschate told Cricinfo that there is no doubt about Sooryavanshi's ability to perform at the highest level. "He's absolutely ready to play international cricket, there's no doubt about that," ten Doeschate said.
Sooryavanshi was fast-tracked into the national T20I squad after a sensational IPL 2026 season, where he amassed 776 runs in 16 innings at a staggering strike rate of 237.30, earning Player of the Tournament honours. National selectors stated that his extraordinary talent and performances forced their hand, yet the team management has been cautious about inserting him into the playing XI during the series.
Balancing youth and experience
Ten Doeschate underlined that experienced players like Sanju Samson cannot be overlooked. "But also, I think it's not a question to say you can leave Sanju Samson out. A guy who went a long way to winning India the World Cup three months ago. A guy who's had a fairly good IPL," he said.
The coach emphasised the importance of maintaining a stable dressing room environment and giving players an extended run. "It's important in terms of giving players confidence, and the message we're sending to players. We want to give guys a long run in the team," he added.
Sooryavanshi must bide his time
Despite the excitement surrounding the young batter, ten Doeschate made clear that Sooryavanshi would have to follow the same pathway as others. "As ready as Vaibhav is and as excited as we are and you are to see him play, he's going to have to go through the same process as everyone else and bide his time and wait," he said. He concluded, "But certainly no questions about how good he is and how ready he is."
Historic series win for Ireland
The series victory marked Ireland's first-ever series win over India in any format. They not only defeated the reigning T20 World Cup champions but also ended India's remarkable 16-series winning streak in T20Is.
In the decisive match, India chased 155 but fell one run short, finishing at 153/9. Earlier, Prince Yadav's superb spell of 3/22 had restricted Ireland to 154/8, but India's batters could not cross the line.
