'Ensure his comfort': Abhishek Sharma opens up on sharing dressing room with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as wonderkid waits for India debut

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'Ensure his comfort': Abhishek Sharma opens up on sharing dressing room with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as wonderkid waits for India debut originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Abhishek Sharma says it is the team's collective duty to ensure Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's comfort in the Indian dressing room
• The 15-year-old is yet to make his India debut, missing the 1st T20I against Ireland
• Sooryavanshi has a separate changing room under ICC and ECB safeguarding rules for under-16 players

Abhishek Sharma opens up on sharing dressing room with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as wonderkid waits for India debut​

Abhishek Sharma has opened up on what it has been like to share a dressing room with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, stressing that the senior players see it as their responsibility to make the 15-year-old feel at home. The Indian opener spoke warmly of the prodigy as he waits patiently for his international debut.

Sooryavanshi was left out of the playing XI for the first T20I against Ireland in Belfast, with India unwilling to disturb their successful top order. Yet his presence in the squad has already made an impression, with the youngster's eagerness to learn standing out to his more experienced teammates.

The teenager's integration into the senior setup carries unique considerations. Under ICC and ECB safeguarding regulations, under-16 players are not permitted to use adult changing facilities, meaning Sooryavanshi has been provided with a separate changing room throughout the tour of Ireland and England.

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Abhishek Sharma on ensuring Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's comfort​

Abhishek explained that the senior group has taken it upon themselves to help the youngster settle, describing a player hungry to absorb everything around him at the start of his journey.

"I believe it is our collective duty to ensure his comfort. He is undoubtedly a young man, and from what I could see, he is constantly eager to play. He is only now beginning to learn.

"He seems to have a desire to learn a lot because he asks questions. Of course, it's also a fantasy for him. Therefore, we are making every effort to give him a sense of inclusion in the group," Abhishek Sharma said after the first T20I.

MORE: Manjrekar tears into Sundar's 'not sensible batting' in India's loss to Ireland

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's wait for a debut​

Despite the anticipation, Sooryavanshi's path into the XI remains blocked by India's settled and successful combination. Abhishek and Sanju Samson form an accomplished opening pair, both of whom contributed to India's T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year.

For the management, the challenge lies in balancing the excitement around the teenager with the need to reward in-form performers. Captain Shreyas Iyer reiterated at the toss that Sooryavanshi would earn his chance when the time was right, rather than being rushed into the side.

A prodigy ready for the moment​

Sooryavanshi has done everything asked of him to justify his inclusion. He finished as the highest run-scorer in IPL 2026 and smashed the fastest fifty in List A history during the India A tri-series, underlining why the selectors fast-tracked him into the senior squad.

For now, the focus within the camp is on nurturing the youngster and ensuring his transition into international cricket is as smooth as possible. As

Abhishek's comments make clear that India is determined to protect and support its brightest young talent, confident that his time on the field will come soon enough.


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