Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his much-anticipated return to competitive cricket for India A in the Tri-Nation A Series opener against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla, where he scored 14 runs off 12 balls. Following a stellar IPL 2026 season, expectations were high for the young batter, but he could not convert his start into a significant score. He hit three fours before being caught by Sahan Arachchige off Mohamed Shiraz's bowling, leaving India A at 16-1 in the fourth over. India A won the toss and chose to bat first. Wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh also fell early for just two runs. However, a partnership between Priyansh Arya and Ruturaj Gaikwad helped stabilize the innings, with Arya scoring 32 runs before being run out. Gaikwad remained not out at 46, and captain Tilak Varma contributed 18 runs, leading India A to a total of 118-3 after 28 overs. Sri Lanka A's vice-captain Niroshan Dickwella acknowledged Sooryavanshi's potential and the excitement surrounding his performance, emphasizing the challenge of facing him in the match.