New Delhi. The year 2026 is going to be no less than a litmus test for the Indian cricket team. After the historic victory of the T20 World Cup, Team India's calendar has now become so busy that the Indian board may have to field two different teams simultaneously. Team India will be on the field non-stop from June to October, in which new tours from Ireland to Zimbabwe can be added. Young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi of Bihar can debut for Team India this year. Vaibhav has performed brilliantly for India Under 19 for some time now. He may get a chance in the Asian Games later this year.
According to the current schedule, India has to play one Test and three ODIs against Afghanistan in June, immediately after which a white ball tour of England (5 T20s, 3 ODIs) is proposed in July. But according to the report of Cricbuzz, two new tours can be added to this busy schedule:
Vaibhav Suryavanshi can debut in Team India soon.
Ireland tour: Before reaching England, India can play a short series of three T20 matches in Dublin.
Sri Lanka Series: Sri Lanka Cricket has requested India to play three additional T20 matches before the two Test matches to compensate (fundraiser) for the damage caused by cyclone 'Ditvah' last year.
September conflict: three fronts at once
The month of September can prove to be a headache for the Indian selectors. On one hand, West Indies team will be on India tour (3 ODIs, 5 T20), while on the other hand, India has to play a series of three T20 matches against Afghanistan in UAE. Meanwhile, the 2026 Asian Games (25 September-3 October) are also to be held in Nagoya, Japan. Since India is the defending champion, a strong team will have to be sent there to save the gold medal. Apart from this, talks are also going on for three T20 matches with Zimbabwe. In such a situation, there is every possibility that India will have to field two different squads at the same time.
Eyes on Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya
After winning the T20 World Cup, the primary target of the Indian team is now the 2027 ODI World Cup. In such a situation, senior players can be given rest in T20 series (Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland) and Asian Games. This situation can prove to be a 'golden chance' for rising stars like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi: This young sensation from Bihar has attracted everyone's attention with his batting.
Priyansh Arya: Priyansh, famous for his aggressive batting in domestic cricket and T20 format, is also in line to debut. For these young players, the performance of IPL will prove to be the key to opening the doors of Team India.
End of the year: Challenge of New Zealand and Bangladesh
From mid-October, India will go on a long tour of New Zealand, in which 5 ODIs, 5 T20 and 2 Test matches will be played. Apart from this, a series of 3 ODIs and 3 T20s is also proposed with Bangladesh, although due to increasing diplomatic tension, this is yet to be finalized.
