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Two new captains. Six Ireland players injured. India’s youngest ever senior call-up. India vs Ireland 2026 T20I Squads announcements for India’s tour of Ireland 2026 have given fans plenty to talk about before a single ball has been bowled.
Both matches are at Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast. First T20I on June 26. Second on June 28. Then India move to England for a five-match T20I series starting July 1. Here is every squad change, every new face and everything you need to know before the first ball.
India Squad for Ireland T20I Series 2026 — Full List
Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav
Note: Nitish Kumar Reddy was in the original squad but was ruled out on June 23 with a left quadricep injury. Prasidh Krishna has replaced Mohammed Siraj for workload management purposes according to reports.
Ireland Squad for India T20I Series 2026 — Full List
Lorcan Tucker (C/WK), Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny (WK), Matthew Humphreys, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Hollard, Liam McCarthy, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Reuben Wilson
The Biggest Story — Shreyas Iyer is India’s New T20I Captain
Suryakumar Yadav won the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 for India as captain. He led India to 255 for 5 in the final against New Zealand and won the tournament on home soil. But he is not the T20I captain anymore.
Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the new T20I skipper of the Indian side, succeeding Suryakumar Yadav. Suryakumar Yadav has been dropped from the T20I setup altogether.
BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained: “We debated it a lot, not the easiest discussion especially if you have won the World Cup. Shreyas playing as well as he has made the decision easier. With regards to SKY, it was a tough one. Partly his own form and also looking at the next two-year cycle, we thought this was the best way forward.”
Shreyas Iyer last played a T20I for India in December 2023. He has been outstanding in franchise cricket since then, leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and guiding Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to finals in other seasons.
Tilak Varma is the new vice captain replacing Axar Patel. At 23 years old he is being backed to be a central figure in India’s T20 setup heading into the 2028 T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Youngest Player in India’s History — Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been handed his maiden senior call-up as the 15-year-old was included in the squad. Vaibhav celebrated his 15th birthday in March. He became the youngest player ever called up to a senior Indian team in any format.
If he debuts during the tour he will break Sachin Tendulkar’s longstanding record of being the youngest Indian player to ever play international cricket. Tendulkar made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16 years and 205 days.
Vaibhav’s inclusion came on the back of a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign where he scored a staggering 776 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 237.30 to win the Orange Cap and MVP awards.
776 runs at a strike rate of 237 in the IPL. At 15 years old. That number deserves a moment. He hits the ball harder and farther than most senior international cricketers. Ireland’s bowlers have been warned.
Prince Yadav — The Other Uncapped Debutant
Uncapped fast bowler Prince Yadav has also received his first senior T20 call-up following an impressive outing in the Indian Premier League this season.
Prince Yadav bowls right-arm fast medium and has been turning heads in domestic cricket. His call-up for this Ireland tour is a reward for consistent IPL performances and puts him in the frame for a debut at Civil Service Cricket Club Belfast.
Who is Missing from India’s World Cup Squad
The biggest absentees from India’s T20 World Cup winning team are:
Suryakumar Yadav — Dropped. Not selected for the new cycle.
Virat Kohli — Not named in the squad. Expected to return for the England series.
Rohit Sharma — Not named in the squad. Also not selected for the Ireland leg.
Hardik Pandya — Not named in the squad.
This is clearly a rotation series. The World Cup seniors are being rested for Ireland and will likely return for the England T20Is from July 1.
Also Read-EN-W vs WI-W Fantasy Team Prediction, Pitch Report, Weather and Playing XI — T20 World Cup 2026
Ireland Squad — New Captain and a Crisis of Injuries
Ireland have appointed Lorcan Tucker as their new T20I captain and his first task is to lead an injury-hit squad against defending world champions India.
Paul Stirling stepped down from the T20I captaincy after the T20 World Cup and is unavailable due to a calf tear. Ireland are also missing five seam options due to injuries: Josh Little with a stress fracture, Mark Adair with an abdominal injury, Curtis Campher with a hand fracture, Barry McCarthy with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and Jordan Neill with shoulder and foot injuries.
Six senior players missing. Five of them are pace bowlers. Ireland’s pace attack for this series will be built around players with very little international experience.
Ireland’s Three Uncapped Players
Matthew Hollard, Jai Moondra and Reuben Wilson could all be in contention to make their T20I debuts against India.
Reuben Wilson is the most experienced of the three having made his Test debut for Ireland against New Zealand last month in their one-off meeting. He is a right-arm pace bowler with good domestic form.
Matthew Hollard and Jai Moondra are yet to play for Ireland in any format. Their call-up is purely down to the injury crisis. But one-player’s misfortune is another’s opportunity and both are expected to get game time in the two-match series.
Ireland head coach noted: “My view in such circumstances is that one player’s misfortune is another player’s opportunity. As such, we have named three uncapped players in the squad of 14.”
Lorcan Tucker on Facing India
Tucker said: “India are an absolute powerhouse when it comes to T20 cricket. We are fortunate to be able to measure ourselves against them right at the start of our new cycle and there will be no tougher challenge for our group than what they will offer. Coming out of the IPL, there will undoubtedly be players who want to make an impact on the international scene. I hope that we can spoil a few of those parties they might have planned and show that we also are here to make an impact.”
Tucker also said his main goal is helping young players develop into this T20I team heading into the 2028 T20 World Cup cycle.
What This Series Is Really About
For India this is not about winning or losing two T20Is against an injury-hit Ireland side. It is about giving Shreyas Iyer a first taste of T20I captaincy, letting Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play his first senior international, blooding Prince Yadav and seeing who grabs their chance in the new cycle heading to 2028.
For Ireland this is about showing they can compete under new leadership even without six of their best players, and giving Hollard, Moondra and Wilson the chance to stake their claim for a regular spot.
Both matches are sold out. Belfast is excited. Whoever wins the matches on June 26 and June 28 the bigger picture is clear — Indian cricket is in transition and Ireland cricket is rebuilding. A fascinating two-match window to see where both sides are heading next.
FANTASY
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Q: Who is India’s new T20I captain for the Ireland tour 2026?
A: Shreyas Iyer has been named India’s new T20I captain for the India tour of Ireland 2026, replacing Suryakumar Yadav who has been dropped from the T20I setup. Tilak Varma is the vice captain.
Q: Is Suryakumar Yadav in India’s squad for Ireland 2026?
A: No. Suryakumar Yadav has been dropped from India’s T20I squad entirely despite winning the T20 World Cup 2026 as captain. The selectors have decided to move on with Shreyas Iyer for the new two-year cycle heading to the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Q: How old is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and why is he in India’s squad?
A: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is 15 years old and became the youngest ever player called up to a senior Indian squad in any format. He scored 776 runs in IPL 2026 at a strike rate of 237.30 to win the Orange Cap and MVP award. If he debuts in Belfast he will break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of being the youngest Indian international cricketer.
Q: Who is Ireland’s new T20I captain?
A: Lorcan Tucker has been named Ireland’s new permanent T20I captain, replacing Paul Stirling who stepped down after the T20 World Cup 2026. Tucker is 29 years old and has captained Leinster Lightning in domestic cricket. He takes over a squad hit by six injury absences.
Q: Which Ireland players are injured and missing for the India series?
A: Six Ireland players are unavailable due to injuries. Paul Stirling has a torn calf. Josh Little has a stress fracture. Mark Adair has a rectus muscle tear. Curtis Campher has a hand fracture. Barry McCarthy has a complete ACL tear. Jordan Neill has shoulder and foot injuries. Five of the six are pace bowlers which leaves Ireland’s seam attack significantly weakened.
Q: Who are the uncapped players in Ireland’s squad for the India T20I series?
A: Ireland have three uncapped players in their 14-man squad. Matthew Hollard, Jai Moondra and Reuben Wilson are all in contention for their T20I debuts. Reuben Wilson has previous experience having made his Test debut against New Zealand in May 2026 but has not played a T20I or ODI yet.
Q: Are Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in India’s Ireland squad?
A: No. Neither Virat Kohli nor Rohit Sharma has been named in India’s squad for the Ireland T20I series. Both are expected to be rested for the Ireland leg and may return for the five-match T20I series against England starting July 1.
Q: Where is the India vs Ireland 2026 T20I series being played?
A: Both matches of the India vs Ireland 2026 T20I series are being played at Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont, Belfast. The first T20I is on June 26 and the second T20I is on June 28. Both fixtures are sold out.