Indian Openers Both Bag Golden Ducks in T20I, Young Sooryavanshi Still on Bench

In a rare and unwanted record for Indian cricket, both openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma were dismissed for golden ducks in the second T20I against Ireland in Belfast on Sunday. This marked the first instance in T20I history where both Indian openers fell without scoring.

Samson was trapped leg before wicket off the very first ball of the innings by left-arm pacer Jai Moondra, who swung the ball into the right-hander and pinned him in front. Abhishek Sharma followed shortly after, also falling for a duck, compounding India's early troubles.

Meanwhile, 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been named in the squad, continues to warm the bench, awaiting his much-anticipated international debut. Sooryavanshi's inclusion in the senior team has generated significant excitement, but he has yet to get a chance on the field.

The performance raises questions about India's opening combination, with the team management likely to reassess options ahead of the next match. The bowlers later fought back to restrict Ireland to a modest total, but the early collapse put India on the back foot.