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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 are excited for this match, as Vaibhav Suryavanshi is likely to make his long-awaited debut for India in Manchester.
The 15-year-old batting sensation is waiting for her chance after missing the Ireland T20I series and then sitting on the bench in the opening T20I against England due to rain in Durham.
Now, Vaibhav has a good chance to make his debut in the second game after Sanju Samson’s recent poor form with the bat. England announce ODI squad for India series, ahead of second T20I; Jack Crawley is out, Jacob Bethel will open.
Sam Curran lauds Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s rapid progress
Ahead of the second T20I at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, England all-rounder Sam Curran praised Vaibhav Suryavanshi and admitted that his rise has been one of the biggest stories in world cricket this year. Curran was extremely impressed with the way Suryavanshi played during IPL 2026. However, “Don’t promote Vaibhav Suryavanshi so much”: Kapil Dev’s message.
Curran also called the Rajasthan Royals star a special player. However, the English all-rounder has given Vaibhav a reality check by saying that the England pitches are much slower than India’s, and the bowlers will have specific plans to test the teenage batsman.
Sam Curran said in the press conference ahead of the second IND vs ENG T20I: “Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s journey is an incredible story. I watched him during the IPL, and the way he bats looks very effortless. He completely deserves 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 tough challenge in English conditions
Curran said Vaibhav’s talent deserves respect, but the bowler would like to test his abilities in English conditions. “England will be a different challenge because the pitches here are slower than India and the bowlers will have their own plans against them,” the star all-rounder said.
The former CSK all-rounder further added, “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 Suryavanshi’s biggest test
The England star also revealed that handling the huge attention and expectations that come with playing for India could be Suryavanshi’s biggest challenge. He believes that there is more focus on Indian cricketers than in most other countries, but he is confident that the young player has the right people around him to help him keep focused.
Curran concluded by saying, “I have the experience of being in India, but I think being an Indian cricketer in India is probably much bigger than us in a way. So, I think that will probably be his biggest challenge, I think how he handles the huge attention and expectations. I’m sure he has good people around him to help him deal with everything.”
