‘Play him in the first game’: Sunil Gavaskar urges India to drop Vaibhav Sooryavanshi against England

MUMBAI: Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has backed teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to make his debut for India in the opening T20I against England in Durham on Wednesday, saying the 15-year-old could provide the spark India desperately need after their disappointing 0-2 series defeat to Ireland.India’s batting unit has struggled throughout the Ireland series under new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, prompting calls for changes ahead of the five-match series against England. Gavaskar believes Sooryavanshi’s unpredictability could work in India’s favour.“I hope Sooryavanshi plays the first match as it will be the start of a new series and give the team a flying start. It is the best way to recover from the series loss against Ireland,” Gavaskar said.He admitted that Sooryavanshi’s inclusion in the playing XI would be challenging given the performances of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, but argued that England’s lack of familiarity with the youngster could be a deciding factor.“So if he gets going, he can take the game away and I think that’s what India need at this particular moment, after this loss, is for someone to make an immediate impact. So hosts England are immediately put on the back foot,” Gavaskar added.

Sunil Gavaskar backs Iyer, says patience needed

Despite Shreyas Iyer’s poor start as India’s T20I captain, Gavaskar urged patience, pointing out that adaptation to leadership at the international level takes time.“I think with any new relationship, it’s always going to take a little bit of time for both of them to understand the support staff and the playing staff, to understand what’s expected of them,” he said.“Shreyas Iyer’s leadership has been shown over the years in the T20 format. We have seen him win trophies, win titles and get teams into the knockout stages and get teams into the finals.”Gavaskar also felt that the Indian batsmen needed to adapt better to the conditions after struggling on the seamer-friendly pitches in Belfast.“I think in any form of the game and in virtually any sport you play the situation,” he said, adding that shot selection and decision-making let India down in Ireland.Gavaskar also backed Rohit Sharma to silence doubts over his future during the upcoming ODI series against England.“So I think England is a very good platform for him to show that even in a year and a half he will be batting for India there,” he said.On England pacer Jofra Archer, Gavaskar said his impact often depended on his mindset on the day.“He’s a top bowler and you know if he is, I would say if I use that word, if he’s in the mood he can cause problems for anybody,” he said.Gavaskar added that he was not completely surprised by the departure of Ben Stokes, although he expected the England all-rounder to leave at the end of the domestic season rather than immediately.(Watch India Tour of England 2026, England vs India, 1st T20I on 1 July 2026 from 22:00 IST Live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada) Sony HD, Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD).