The whole thing is set around Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday, July 4, when India and England lock horns in the second T20I of that five match series. and honestly one of the biggest things people are already whispering about is whether India will hand a debut to 15 year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

 

This young batter has been hanging around, waiting for the call, after he missed out on the Ireland T20I series. He also didn’t get his first game against England in the initial T20I, because the match in Durham got washed out by rain, which means no official debut.

 

Now, with Sanju Samson not finding runs in recent form, Vaibhav might finally get his moment there in Manchester.

 

Sam Curran praises Vaibhav's impressive rise

 

Before the second T20I, England all-rounder Sam Curran had a lot to say about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and basically praised how quick his rise in cricket has been.

 

Curran mentioned he had watched Vaibhav during IPL 2026, and said he was genuinely impressed by the way the teenager bats, like there’s no hesitation at all. He also added that the youngster absolutely deserves the kind of spotlight he’s been getting after those performances.

 

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 says England conditions will be a different challenge

 

And yeah, even while praising Vaibhav, Curran also made it clear that playing in England won’t be some automatic walk in the park. he explained that England pitches tend to run slower than the ones back in India, and that bowlers will have their own plans to test him.

 

He 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.”

“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.”

 

Basically if Vaibhav gets picked in India’s playing XI, England’s bowlers will try to make life hard for him, not just with pace but with tactics too.

 

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Pressure of playing for India will be the biggest test

 

Curran also feels that dealing with the massive attention that comes with being a young Indian cricketer could be the toughest part for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

 

The England all-rounder said Indian cricketers often get much more public spotlight than players in many other countries. But he also believes Vaibhav has the right people around him, so he can stay level headed and focused.

 

Curran said further:

 

“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.”

 

All eyes on Manchester

 

If Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets the nod in India’s playing XI, it’ll be one of the biggest moments of his early career. The teenager has already impressed plenty of people with his fearless batting in IPL 2026, and now fans are waiting to see how that confidence translates into international cricket.

 

England meanwhile will know they have to stop a really promising young batter who already put his name out there. With both teams chasing an important win in Manchester, the second T20I should end up being a pretty thrilling contest, and not something anyone can just switch off.