Team India greeted with poor practice facilities in Belfast ahead of Ireland T20 series

Team India return to the 20-over format for the first time since their successful T20 World Cup title defence on home soil in March, facing Ireland in Belfast on Friday. The Men in Blue arrived in Northern Ireland for the white-ball tour of the United Kingdom in two batches, the second one touching down in the capital city on Wednesday, and had their first training session on Thursday.

India, however, didn't quite receive the welcome that they would have expected in Ireland, with players complaining of sub-standard practice facilities ahead of the first of two T20Is against Ireland.

According to Press Trust of India, the sight screen was positioned on one side of the ground instead of being placed directly behind the bowler at one of the practice strips. The ground staff, instead, chose to place a digital screen in front of the batters, making it difficult for them to pick the ball from the bowler's hand.

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"Yes, there has been some issues with practice facilities but Indian team's support staff have brought this to notice of Irish officials," a BCCI source was quoted by the agency as saying.

The issue, however, was quickly rectified after the Indian team's operations manager informed Cricket Ireland officials, with the rest of the training session going on as usual.

Sooryavanshi undergoes first practice session with India seniors

Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, meanwhile, had his first nets session with the senior Indian team on Thursday, and the spotlight was understandably fixed on the 15-year-old, who could become the youngest player to represent the Indian men's team on Friday, should he be included in the playing XI.

The left-handed batter earned his maiden India senior call after a record-breaking Indian Premier League season, where he won the Orange Cap with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30 and played a key role in helping Rajasthan Royals reach Qualifier 2 of the playoffs.

Sooryavanshi, who had dominated some of the best bowlers in the world in the IPL recently including Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins, appeared at ease and in excellent rhythm while playing attacking strokes at the nets.