Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dropped but former skipper sees great report from India

India did not give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi an extended run in the T20I series against New Zealand. On Friday, the Men in Blue left the 15-year-old out of the playing XI for the fourth T20I at Eden Park in Auckland, making way for fit-again Ishan Kishan, who has recovered from a groin injury that kept him out of the previous two matches. Scorecard | Update

Captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed the change after winning the toss and electing to bowl, with India reverting to the preferred trio of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Kishan. However, the decision came just two days after Sooryavanshi and Abhishek combined to produce one of the most extraordinary batting displays in T20I history.

The opening pair smashed 118 runs in the first six overs of India’s chase of 199 in the third T20I in Wellington, setting a world record for the highest powerplay total in men’s T20Is. Sooryavanshi contributed a mammoth 45 off 19 deliveries while Abhishek made 113 off just 38 balls as India completed the chase in 13.2 overs to take an unassailable 3-0 lead.

BIG NEWS: FLEMING

Despite this performance, India decided to restore their established combination. But former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming believes the decision sends a positive message to the dressing room, especially in terms of giving established players the confidence to play without worrying about their places.

“His time will come, he will be that person, that incumbent,” Fleming told Sony Sports of Sooryavanshi.

“But I think it’s a great message because it’s a really inconsistent game. You’re asking players to go out there and play at a really high level of skill and risk, and if they feel like they’re being compromised and they’re going to double-check because their place is at risk, then they don’t have the freedom to go out there and play right at their skill level, right at the limit.”

Fleming attributed India’s fearless approach with the bat to the sense of safety and belonging created by the coaching group, adding that the team’s cohesion allowed the players to push the boundaries of the game.

Head coach of India Gautam Gambhir made a similar point last month in explaining Sooryavanshi’s limited capabilities. Speaking after the Afghanistan T20I series, he said the youngster has to wait for his chance, with established performers given priority.

“We know the kind of talent he has. We know what he can do. But again, someone who has done extremely well over the years will always be ahead of someone who has just made the team. Whenever he gets that chance, you will have a longer chance,” Gambhir said.

The Indian coach also emphasized that the selection was not dictated by outside noise or social media pressure. “We want to create that confidence in that dressing room,” he explained, explaining why the team was reluctant to break up the successful combination.

Shreyas Iyer echoed his coach’s sentiments on the eve of the New Zealand series and insisted that Sooryavanshi had plenty of time to establish himself in international cricket.

“It is important that a talent like him is always happy in the dressing room. He is very young, he has more years to get opportunities. It is not like he can come in now because our openers are scoring consistently and have won the World Cup,” Iyer said.

Sooryavanshi featured in only two matches on the New Zealand tour after being overlooked during the previous five-match T20I series against the West Indies. He also spent the Afghanistan series on the sidelines despite being in impressive form on the tour of Zimbabwe.

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