1st T20I: Shreyas keeps cards close on Sooryavanshi debut, says India 'depressed' after Ireland loss

Durham, June 30 (IANS) India captain Shreyas Iyer refused to reveal whether teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will make his international debut in the opening T20I against England at Durham on Wednesday, but backed the 15-year-old to shine whenever his opportunity comes. 

Speaking before the first T20I at Chester-le-Street, Shreyas mentioned that India were keeping their team combination under wraps.

"You never know what is going to happen," he said in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. "Our hands are tied right now in terms of what we will do. This is private. It’s something we discuss within the team. We can't reveal our combination to the opponents."

"Everyone on the team has performed. It's not just one person. We need to build confidence and provide chances for each player so that everyone feels good going into the tournaments. The players who helped India win the T20 World Cup understand the format; they have been essential. So, it's important to support them."

The captain praised the young player, saying, "Definitely, he is a brilliant talent. When he gets a chance to play, he will certainly excel."

Shreyas also spoke about India’s disappointing 2-0 T20I series defeat to the Ireland cricket team. He admitted the result was hard to accept, though he stopped short of calling it embarrassing.

"It wasn't embarrassing, but it was tough for us since we didn't expect Ireland to perform that well," Shreyas said. "They outplayed us in every aspect. They had good strategies regarding the ground dimensions, and we fell short in analysing and preparing for the field and how the wicket would play. So, credit to them, but we learned a lot from that series."

The captain feels the five-match series in England offers a new challenge and that India is better prepared this time. "This is a fresh chapter for us. A few of us have played in England before, and we understand the conditions and dimensions here. We are looking forward to an intense and challenging series."

He dismissed the idea that the struggles in Belfast would linger in the team. 

"No, those issues are behind us," he said. "As I mentioned earlier, a few of us have experience playing in England, we know how the wickets typically behave, and we watch the matches on TV. In Belfast, we played after many years. It’s not an excuse, but I’m saying that adjusting to the wicket and the conditions was a bit of a challenge for us."

Describing the differences between the two venues, Shreyas noted that Belfast’s unique layout made it hard for India to adapt.

"I think it’s very different because the Belfast ground wasn’t a proper stadium. The outfield wasn’t even, and the dimensions were a bit square. It made it tricky to take singles and doubles, especially when fielding. As a captain, setting the field felt odd because we were not used to it."

"Here, the ground is flat, and the atmosphere is electrifying; the crowd will be intense. We have played in such conditions before."

Despite only scoring modest runs in Ireland, Shreyas is not concerned about his batting form. "Not at all," he responded when asked if captaincy had added pressure. "I am timing the ball well in the nets. Even in the last game, I felt my timing was great; a couple of odd balls just bounced differently. That doesn’t represent my batting or the pressure I feel."

"I trust my instincts. I know how well I perform under pressure. So, I just want to keep that faith in myself and move forward in the upcoming matches."

Shreyas also dismissed suggestions that England might struggle after switching from Test cricket to T20 following their recent series against New Zealand.

"I don't know what the atmosphere is like in the England team," he said. "But the shift from Test matches to a white ball is something most players have experienced. It’s not new for them. I’m sure they will manage just fine."

--IANS

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