India’s decision to leave 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out of the first T20I against Afghanistan has raised questions over the team’s selection strategy. Former India selector Kris Srikkanth believes the young batter should be given a consistent run instead of being repeatedly brought in and dropped.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi entered the Afghanistan series with plenty of confidence after an impressive T20I tour of Zimbabwe. He was named the Player of the Series and the Player of the Match in the final game. Across the series, he scored 151 runs at a strike rate of 196.10.
However, there was a practical reason behind his exclusion. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was one of the three players who had featured in the Duleep Trophy final, a red-ball match that ended just two days before India’s opening T20I against Afghanistan. With very little time to prepare for the T20 match, India opted for senior opener Sanju Samson who opened alongside Abhishek Sharma. Sanju Samson scored 10 runs from eight balls before being dismissed but India had no trouble chasing Afghanistan’s 156/7. They won by seven wickets, with more than six overs remaining.
Kris Srikkanth questioned why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was not given an opportunity after his recent performances. He said the decision had even become a talking point at his home, with his wife questioning why a player who had just been named the Player of the Match was not in the XI.
According to the former selector, repeatedly rotating the youngster could affect his confidence. He believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi needs to know that he will get several opportunities even if he fails in one or two matches. Kris Srikkanth also pointed to the teenager’s performances in domestic cricket, India A, T20Is and the IPL, arguing that his overall record deserves greater backing from the team management.
Kris Srikkanth also expressed sympathy for Sanju Samson as he said that he pities Samson. He added that India’s team management has not given the experienced batter a consistent opportunity either. Sanju Samson started India’s UK tour in July but after three matches, he was dropped to make room for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He was then brought back for the seventh and final match of the tour before being left out of the Zimbabwe series entirely.
Kris Srikkanth argued that India should make a clear decision. Either Sanju Samson should be given an extended run before being dropped or Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be backed for a series of matches without constantly worrying about selection. He said giving both the players only occasional opportunities is not ideal for either batter and could hurt their confidence and development.
The second T20I against Afghanistan is scheduled for September 15 in Delhi, putting the spotlight back on the opening combination. The team management now has to decide whether to continue with Sanju Samson or bring Vaibhav Sooryavanshi back into the playing XI.
The decision could provide an indication of whether India plans to stick with its rotation policy or finally give one of the two openers a longer run.
