‘This new Team India has a great mix of youth and experience’, says Shastri ahead of Ireland tour

Cricket legends Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar have backed India’s new-look white-ball squad for the tour of England, praising the exciting blend of youthful dynamic talents like Abhishek Sharma under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer

New Delhi: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the new-look Indian side has the ideal blend of youth and experience ahead of the white-ball tour of England, expressing confidence that the team has the quality to excel in challenging conditions.

Speaking ahead of India’s tour of England in 2026, Shastri expressed support for the young squad led by Shreyas Iyer in T20Is, hoping they make a strong impression.

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“This new Team India has a great mix of youth and experience. Shreyas Iyer is a strong player in T20 cricket. It excites me to see him given the chance to lead the new Indian team. I look forward to some excellent performances from Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, and all the other team members,” Shastri told Sony Sports Network.

India’s T20I squad will be captained by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as the vice-captain. The squad includes promising youngsters like Abhishek Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Suryansh Shedge, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Prince Yadav, and teenage talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The ODI squad sees the return of senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah. Kohli is back after missing the Afghanistan series due to a hamstring injury. Bumrah will lead a pace attack that includes Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, and Gurnoor Brar. KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan are named as the wicketkeeping options. Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar will handle the spin.

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar said the tour is an exciting chance for India’s next generation to shine alongside established players.

“This Indian team for the England tour in 2026 is a fascinating mix of youth and experience. I’m especially eager to see how they perform on English soil. Shreyas Iyer, leading the team with Tilak Varma as vice-captain, creates a solid foundation. The real excitement comes from the young talents like Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Both can be game-changers against any bowling attack. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan will be key in the middle order, while the bowling lineup of Prasidh Krishna, Ravi Bishnoi, and the rising Harshit Rana looks strong,” Gavaskar said.