Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play in IND vs WI decider? Ex-India coach shares verdict
Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar is keen to see Vaibhav Sooryavanshi get an opportunity in the fifth T20I against West Indies, but believes India should not disrupt their batting order to accommodate the teenager. With the series level at 2-2, Nayar feels any changes should come in the bowling department rather than at the top of the order.
India will face West Indies in the series decider at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday after losing the fourth T20I by 24 runs in Hyderabad. Speaking on JioHotstar, Nayar explained why Sooryavanshi should only be considered if India are prepared to use him in his natural position as an opener.
“I am very tempted. Are you going to play Vaibhav Suryavanshi out of position? I wouldn’t want to see that. If Vaibhav Suryavanshi plays, he should play at his strongest position, which is opening,” Nayar said.
“If he opens, the one who is playing at No. 3 should play at his strongest position. No matter how much I am tempted, and I want to see Vaibhav Suryavanshi, that too in Bengaluru, I would make changes in bowling and not at all in batting,” he added.
OPENERS’ FORM FUELS SOORYAVANSHI DEBATE
India’s opening pair, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, have produced mixed returns across the four matches. Abhishek has scored 139 runs, including 69 off 30 balls in Indore, while Samson has made 152, highlighted by his 82 off 41 balls in Ranchi and 56 off 23 in Hyderabad. Their quieter outings have kept the selection debate alive, even though both have delivered important contributions during the series.
Sooryavanshi, however, is not an uncapped player waiting for his first taste of international cricket. The 15-year-old made his senior India debut against England in Manchester on July 4, scoring 14 off 10 balls, including two sixes. He went on to play all three T20Is in that series, returning scores of 13 and 15 in the next two matches.
The left-handed opener made a stronger impact on India’s tour of Zimbabwe later in July. He struck 50 off 19 balls in the first T20I, followed it with 20 off nine and then smashed 81 off 49 in the third match. He finished the series with 151 runs and was named Player of the Series. Overall, Sooryavanshi has scored 246 runs in eight T20Is at a strike rate of 186.36, with two half-centuries and a highest score of 81.
His recent run, however, has been stop-start. After not featuring in India’s three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, Sooryavanshi returned to the playing XI for the Asian Games, scoring 38 off 21 balls against Sri Lanka and 15 off nine against Pakistan. He has been on the bench again during the ongoing West Indies series, with India continuing to back Abhishek and Samson at the top.
Bowling coach Morne Morkel has urged the youngster to use the time around senior players to keep developing, even when he is not selected.
“We all know that the talent of Vaibhav, I think the more time he spends in this environment with the quality players, the more time he trains at this standard will only be great for his cricket,” Morkel said.
He added that observing how experienced batters prepare and build their innings could be valuable for Sooryavanshi.
INDIA FACE A TOUGH SELECTION CALL
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has also stressed the difficulty of leaving out an established batter to accommodate Sooryavanshi, with selection decisions centred on the combination India believe gives them the best chance of winning. The management must weigh the teenager’s attacking potential against the experience and recent contributions of its existing openers.
India’s bowling could be a more immediate concern after West Indies piled up 247/3 in Hyderabad before winning by 24 runs.
As India prepare for Saturday’s series decider in Bengaluru, the team management must decide whether to persist with its existing opening pair or give Sooryavanshi another opportunity to make an impact at international level.
Nayar, however, believes any changes should come in the bowling department, with the teenager considered only if India are willing to play him in his preferred position as an opener.
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