Former India cricketer and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may have to wait longer for opportunities in India’s T20I side, citing the team’s preferred left-right opening combination and the tactical advantage it provides against opposition spinners. Despite the excitement surrounding his talent and power-hitting ability, Sooryavanshi has found himself on the sidelines, with the more experienced opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma preferred at the top. India’s five-match T20I series in New Zealand begins on November 22. Sooryavanshi, 15, has featured in eight T20Is, scoring 246 runs at a strike rate of over 186, including two half-centuries. He did not feature in any of the five matches during the recently concluded home series against the West Indies, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Sanju is that kind of player who will repeatedly give you opportunities to raise questions about him and then play a big knock, making the most of his chances. Because he would not score runs for two matches, and everyone starts raising questions: ‘Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should play, Sanju Samson isn’t capitalising on his chances, how long will we wait, “Sanju plays with everyone’s emotions. “And at that very moment, he will score an 80 in no time.
“So, there will be moments when there will be discussions about his place, but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to wait,” he said.
“Often, for a team’s culture, if you are a coach or a captain, it is crucial to make the right decisions. If you make haphazard decisions, the impact on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s career is one thing, but the impact on team culture will be far greater. Maybe in a series where Sanju isn’t there or is rested, he will play.
Speaking on JioHotstar’s Out or Not Out , Nayar said team culture and continuity are important factors behind selection decisions. “So, according to me, the decision will be, ‘Vaibhav, wait for your time, you will also get opportunities. Discussing Samson’s recent T20I form, which has been marked by periods of inconsistency mixed with match-winning knocks, Nayar said the wicketkeeper-batter has a unique ability to silence his critics.
