India captain Shreyas Iyer said in Christchurch on October 21, 2026, that the teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cannot “walk in” to the India T20I side at the moment, because the openers are scoring consistently and have won the World Cup, The Tribune reported. “It’s not like he can walk in right now, because our openers are scoring consistently, and they have won the World Cup,” Iyer said, adding: “He is very young, he has more years to get opportunities.” Sooryavanshi is in the 16-man squad for the five-match series against New Zealand that begins on Thursday, October 22, but has featured in only eight of India’s last 21 T20Is since being picked for the England and Ireland tour.
The case that Iyer is right to hold back the young batter rests on the record of the players ahead of him. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson were the opening pair when India won the T20 World Cup earlier in 2026, and Iyer said they are “scoring consistently,” which is the best reason for a captain to keep a settled opening combination. Ishan Kishan is doing well at number three, Iyer said, and the captain does not intend to push himself up the order, so the top four has a clear shape. Iyer called the competition for places a “sweet headache” and emphasised bench strength, and eight appearances in 21 matches means Sooryavanshi has still had steady exposure. He argued that the tour will help him prepare for future assignments.
The case that Sooryavanshi deserves more game time is also in the facts. He has played in 8 of the last 21 T20Is, about 38 percent, so for most of the matches since his selection he was not in the XI, and a young batter needs regular games to develop. India have been willing to adapt to fit him before: at the Asian Games, Samson moved to number three to make room for Sooryavanshi, according to The Tribune’s report of Iyer’s remarks. The squad for New Zealand names both Samson and Sooryavanshi, and with the series spread over five matches, there may be chances to rotate. Iyer’s comment that he “has more years” is a reminder that his role is being deferred, not denied.
The question matters for Indian cricket because the T20I side is built around a core that won the World Cup, and decisions about when to bring in the next generation affect the balance of the team for the next cycle. For Sooryavanshi, who is described as very young, overseas exposure on this tour is part of the plan, and how often he plays in New Zealand will show how serious the selectors are about his development. For fans, it is a reminder that the best young talent often has to wait behind proven players. Iyer also said he will not push himself up the order, with Ishan Kishan doing well at number three, which suggests the batting positions are settled for now.
Iyer has been clear that form comes first and that Sooryavanshi’s chance will come. The five matches in New Zealand will show how many of them he gets.