A perfect pairing? Why India must stick with Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (BCCI Photo) With the T20I series against New Zealand already sealed, the pressure on India to pick the safest XI may have eased. Perhaps the team management can focus on a more important question: what should India’s batting order look like in two years’ time when the T20 World Cup is held in Australia and New Zealand in 2028?Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive 45 off 19 balls in the third T20I in Wellington added to India’s selection headaches. It’s a fun problem. Sooryavanshi was given an opportunity after Ishan Kishan’s injury and initially struggled at number three in Christchurch, batting outside the Powerplay. But when India got him to open alongside Abhishek Sharma in Wellington, the 15-year-old was back to his fighting best. He smashed the first ball to the boundary and never looked back.While Abhishek’s century was the highlight, Sooryavanshi’s fearless approach set the tone. The pair raced to a stunning stand of 133 runs in just seven overs, blowing New Zealand away. The Abhishek-Sooryavanshi partnership also offered a glimpse into the mindset of a new generation of T20 batsmen who see every ball as a scoring opportunity.The shift also carried a significant subplot. To accommodate Sooryavanshi at the top, Sanju Samson willingly dropped to No.3 despite enjoying huge success as an opener. Since returning to the side midway through the T20 World Cup, Samson has formed one of India’s most productive opening partnerships alongside Abhishek. Together they scored 1,166 runs in 37 matches and became regulars at the top of the order.Abhishek was quick to acknowledge the sacrifice. “The way Sanju bhai batted in the last match, it is not easy to leave his familiar batting position. That showed his character. Someone goes for his position but everyone is selfless and happy for each other, which is the hallmark of a great team,” he said in a BCCI video.The commentary revealed an increasingly important characteristic of this Indian side. Unlike previous eras where players were tied to specific positions, this Indian team under coach Gautam Gambhir seems willing to embrace flexibility if it benefits the greater cause.That larger cause may now include finding out how good the opening pair of Vaibhav-Abhishek can be. The youngster himself admitted that batting at No.3 in Christchurch forced him to leave his natural game. “In the last match I went against the way I play in T20. I wanted to start this game quickly to make it easy,” said Sooryavanshi.His knock on Wellington bolstered that assessment. As an opener, there was a visible clarity in his approach. He didn’t have to judge the conditions or the pace of the innings. It was just an attack.Abhishek too felt the impact from the other end. “When Vaibhav hit the first ball, he showed aggression. I saw it at the non-striker’s end and when you see a shot like that you feel pumped up too. Special kudos and kudos to Vaibhav for the way he played,” Abhishek said.The challenge now is to fit everyone on the same side when India are back at full strength. With Sooryavanshi’s emergence during IPL 2026, keeping him on the bench is becoming increasingly difficult. Still, India already has established artists in Samson and Kishan.However, the debate need not be framed as Vaibhav versus Sanju or Vaibhav versus Kishan. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has repeatedly maintained that only the top two batting positions are fixed and the rest of the order remains flexible. Kishan’s adaptability reinforces this approach.His match-winning 80 off 46 balls at No. 5 during the Asian Games semi-final vs. Sri Lanka have shown that they can thrive even if they stay away from the opening slot. It also provided a possible blueprint of how all four batsmen can feature in the playing XI.With the outcome of the series already decided, India can afford to think beyond just the next match.