While the air around the build-up to India's two-match T20I series against Ireland remains centered around a potential debut for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year old prodigy may have to wait a little longer to get his cap, with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak suggesting that it would be unfair to change the combination to fit him into the XI.

India's top-order is stacked with plenty of firepower. While Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan are currently ranked first and second respectively in the ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings, Sanju Samson walked away as the Player of the Tournament in the team's victorious T20 World Cup campaign.

Addressing the media on the eve of the opener in Belfast, Kotak remained tight-lipped about a possible debut for Sooryavanshi, stating that head coach Gautam Gambhir and newly appointed skipper Shreyas Iyer would zero in on the XI later in the day.

"I am sure that he will get his dues and his opportunities," Kotak said. "So I don't think that just to give him an opportunity, we should drop someone who has already been scoring runs. That also won't be right.

"Obviously, it depends on the team management... what we plan to do in this match. That is a different thing. But I think it is a very thin line between trying to give somebody an opportunity and you being unfair to some other player."

Kotak lavished praise on Sooryavanshi, who broke into the T20I setup on the back of a season-topping 776-run campaign for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, striking 72 sixes and winning the MVP Award. He called the left-handed opener an "outstanding talent", while stressing on the need for him to enjoy his experience in the senior setup.

"The boys who come through the BCCI system playing U19, India A or Emerging tournaments, they more or less understand the culture of the Indian team," Kotak said. "So it's not as though a lot is different for him. But what we told him was for him to enjoy. If he wants to ask or share something, he should.

"Gautam was also telling him the same thing - 'you just feel like you are playing for your own team and just say whatever you feel.'"

Despite Sooryavanshi's limited domestic experience at his tender age, Kotak wasn't of the opinion that he needed to be looked after differently.

"I feel that the level of maturity, decision-making, and intent of those who perform at this level will always be good. More than that, as long as he feels that he is part of the team and he can freely behave the way he behaves in other teams, that is good enough." Kotak said.

Ireland's newly appointed T20 skipper Lorcan Tucker too heaped praise on Sooryavanshi managing to break into the senior India setup at the age of 15.

"I think it's pretty incredible for them to have a 15-year-old on their team," Tucker said. "I didn't think ever that was going to be possible in this professional era of the game, especially with the amount of work that goes into professional cricket and the standard of the players. So yeah, credit to him."

Dubbing him a "special player", Tucker was hopeful of his team keeping Sooryavanshi's bat quiet.

"We're obviously hoping we'll see him this week. It'll be a big moment for him. But I think, like I said in a previous release, it'll be great to kind of spoil that party...and make an impact in that game," Tucker said.

Tucker went on to acknowledge the buzz around Sooryavanshi's impending international debut and the massive Indian community in Ireland who were looking forward to witnessing him in action.

"It's really exciting. So I think energy like that coming into a series is fabulous not only for us, [but also] for people coming to watch, for people watching at home, for those kids playing around the corner," Tucker said while going on to add that Sooryavanshi was a role model for young kids around the world.

"I know Vaibhav is only a young boy, but he's still an incredible player. And I think he is a pretty special role model for cricketers all around the world now and kids coming through."