India vs Japan T20I live streaming: Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi feature in historic match?

India and Japan will meet in a T20I for the first time when they face off in Sano on Tuesday, September 22, in a landmark fixture celebrating the growing ties between the two countries. The Suzuki Cup clash will also serve as preparation for both teams ahead of the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games.

India could hand Vaibhav Sooryavanshi an opportunity in the one-off T20I against Japan. If that happens, it would be another significant moment in the 15-year-old's remarkable rise.

Sooryavanshi did not get an opportunity in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. He was the Player of the Series on India's tour of Zimbabwe and also had a good outing in the Duleep Trophy, but remained on the bench for all three matches against Afghanistan.

That was contrary to expectations, with quite a few fans and pundits hoping to see Sooryavanshi get his chance at home against Afghanistan.

Instead, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma opened in all three matches. Samson, who returned to the side, made the most of his opportunity, hitting two fifties, while Abhishek found form again after a quiet tour of the UK. The left-hander smashed a 30-ball hundred in the final T20I after hitting a 32-ball 82 in the first match at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.

When asked about the selection, head coach Gautam Gambhir said he was very clear about returning to Samson and Abhishek as India's opening pair - the duo that helped the team win the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

"I think Samson showed what he is capable of. Someone doesn't become Player Of The Tournament in the World Cup without having talent, so he has done enough. Obviously, it was tough – probably the toughest decision I have taken in my coaching career – leaving him out of that England series because of the way he had performed before that," said Gambhir.

He also made it clear that Sooryavanshi would have to wait for his opportunity.

"From Vaibhav's point of view, it is again a very clear conversation that he has to wait for his opportunity. We know the kind of talent he has. We know what he can do. But again, someone who has done extremely well over a period of years obviously will always be ahead of someone who has got into the team. Whenever he gets that chance, you will get a longer run as well," said Gambhir.

It remains to be seen if Sooryavanshi gets that chance against Japan.

Gambhir has not travelled with the squad for the one-off T20I or the Asian Games, with VVS Laxman, the head of the Centre of Excellence, accompanying the team instead.INDIA VS JAPAN: MORE THAN CRICKET

On paper, India and Japan are worlds apart. India are the reigning T20 World Cup champions, while Japan are ranked 41st in the world. But for Japanese cricket, Tuesday's Suzuki Cup fixture is about far more than the result.

The match gives Japan's players a chance to share the field with some of the biggest names in the sport, while putting cricket in front of a wider audience in a country where baseball dominates. With cricket also featuring at the ongoing Asian Games, the sport has another opportunity to make an impression.Japan Cricket Association COO Alan Curr said the India fixture had already generated significant interest. "The fact that India has agreed to come... I think success is already here," he told PTI.

The match will be played at the 2,000-capacity Sano International Cricket Ground, around 100km from Tokyo. Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, Japan's leading T20 run-scorer, will captain the side in a fixture that is also part of "Sport 75", an initiative promoting exchanges between India and Japan.advertisementWhen and where will the India vs Japan T20I be played?The one-off T20I will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground, around 100km from Tokyo. The match is scheduled to begin at 9:30am local time (1pm IST) on Tuesday, September 22.

Where can I watch India vs Japan T20I online?

The Japan vs India T20I will be streamed live on FanCode.Where can I watch India vs Japan T20I on TV?

The T20I will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network.Will rain affect the India vs Japan T20I in Sano?

The weather could be a concern, particularly because of the wet conditions expected ahead of the match. Monday is forecast to be particularly wet, while Tuesday morning is expected to be mostly dry around the scheduled start, although there remains a risk of showers and thunderstorms. The rain could also leave the Sano outfield soft and slow, potentially affecting the playing conditions.

Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Shirai Patmore (wk), Alester Fleming, Benjamin Ito Davis, Reo Sakurano Thomas, Kohei Kubota, Wataru Miyauchi, Declan Suzuki, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake, Tsuyoshi Takada, Charlie Hara-Hinze, Shoma Slater, Jake Kusuda-Nairn.- EndsPublished By: Akshay RameshPublished On: Sep 21, 2026 13:07 IST