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All eyes will be on the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester on Saturday, July 4, when India take on England in the second T20I of the ongoing five-match T20I series. Many have been excited for this match, as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is likely to make his long-awaited India debut in Manchester.
The 15-year-old batting sensation has been waiting for his chance after missing out on the Ireland T20I series and then watching the opening T20I against England from the bench get washed out because of rain in Durham.
Now, Vaibhav seems to have a great chance to make his debut in the second game after Sanju Samson’s dismal run of form with the bat lately. Ahead of the second T20I, England ODI squad for India series announced; Zak Crawley dropped, Jacob Bethell to open.
Sam Curran praises Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise
Ahead of the second T20I match at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, England all-rounder Sam Curran praised Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and admitted that his rise has been one of the biggest stories in world cricket this year. Curran was highly impressed with the way Sooryavanshi played during IPL 2026. However, “Don’t hype Vaibhav Sooryavanshi that much”: Kapil Dev’s message.
Curran even called the Rajasthan Royals star a special player. However, the English all-rounder has given the reality check to Vaibhav by saying that the pitches in England are much slower than those in India, and bowlers will have specific plans to test the teenage batter.
Sam Curran said at the press conference ahead of the second IND vs ENG T20I: “Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s journey is an incredible story. I watched him during the IPL, and the way he bats looks so easy. He fully deserves all the attention he is getting. Playing for India at just 15 is something special, and even as opponents, we have to admire his talent.”
Curran warns Vaibhav of a tougher challenge in English conditions
Curran said that Vaibhav’s talent deserves respect, but the bowlers will look to test his abilities in English conditions. The star all-rounder added, “England will be a different challenge because the pitches here are slower than in India, and bowlers will have their own plans against him.”
The former CSK all-rounder continued, “But he is playing fearless cricket and enjoying every moment. As a bowler, my job is to execute my skills and see how it goes. It will also be interesting to see how he performs in English conditions.”
Huge expectations could be Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s biggest test
The England star also pointed out that handling the huge attention and expectations that come with playing for India could be Sooryavanshi’s biggest challenge. He believes the spotlight on Indian cricketers is much bigger than in most other countries, but he is confident the youngster has the right people around him to help him stay focused.
Curran signed off by saying, “I’ve had experience of being in India, but I think being an Indian cricketer in India is probably much bigger than we are, I guess, in a way. So, I think that’ll probably be his biggest challenge, I guess, is how he handles the huge attention and expectations. I’m sure he has good people around him to help him deal with everything.”