Chennai, June 23 (IANS) The Shreyas Iyer-led Indian team has departed for Ireland and England from Chennai International Airport for white-ball series, starting June 26. The men in blue are scheduled to play two T20Is against Ireland, followed by five T20Is and three ODIs against England, from June 26.

The T20Is in Ireland will be India’s first since their T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year. India will play two T20Is in Dublin on June 26 and 28. With Shreyas at the helm of the T20I side, it marks the start of a new chapter for India in the shortest format, especially with the Los Angeles Olympics and the next Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand happening in 2028.

The highlight of the touring party is the teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became the youngest player to be picked for the Indian men’s cricket team at the age of 15 years and 71 days, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s 36-year-old record. Uncapped fast bowler Prince Yadav has also received his first senior T20 call-up following an impressive outing in the Indian Premier League this season.

Senior pacer Mohammed Siraj was initially picked in the squad but was later replaced by Prasidh Krishna. Seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana, undergoing rehab for a meniscus tear surgery done in March, is also back in the mix, so as leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.

Following the Ireland tour, the same squad will take a short tour southwest to face England in a five-match T20I series between July 1 and 11, followed by three ODIs from July 14 to 19.

The ODI squad will be led by Shubman Gill, while Shreyas will be his deputy. The three-match ODI series will see the return of talismanic batter Virat Kohli, who missed the recently concluded ODI series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury he sustained during IPL 2026. However, the BCCI said that his participation is subject to fitness clearance.

–IANS

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