Vaibhav Sooryavanshi needs time, too much hype can harm his growth: Sitanshu Kotak

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has urged fans to be patient with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, warning that constant calls to include the 15-year-old in the playing XI could put unnecessary pressure on him early in his career.

Sooryavanshi is yet to feature in India’s ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, with the team management continuing to back Sanja Samson and Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order. His absence sparked debate on social media and fans were eager to see the teenage batsman get his first opportunity.

When Ishan Kishan was ruled out of the second T20I due to an adductor strain, Sooryavanshi could enter contention for a seat in the party. However, Kotak believes the youngster needs time to develop without the pressure of public expectation.

In the pre-match press conference, Kotak praised the way the team management handled Sooryavanshi despite the attention surrounding him. He also emphasized that selection decisions cannot be based on popularity.

“He is young but the way the entire team management is treating him is amazing. I am watching it neutrally. The public and social media love him because of his talent and the team loves him too. But you can’t make changes in the playing XI just because people like a player. He is highly talented and has a very bright future ahead of him. Once he gets consistent opportunities and settles in, he will learn a lot,” Kotak said.

TOO MUCH IS NOT GOOD FOR SOORYAVANSHI

The batsman said repeated demands for Sooryavanshi’s inclusion are not necessarily helping the teenager. At 15, he is still learning the demands of the game at the highest level and Kotak believes the expectations surrounding him could make his omission difficult to handle.

“I felt from the beginning that there was a lot of hype that suggested he had to play, he had to play. I honestly felt that a lot of hype was not good for a young player. It can be hard for a 15 or 16-year-old boy to hear everyone say he has to play and then not get a place. He is still very young. Although I can’t control the hype, it’s sad,” he said.

Kotak also pointed out that the debate was unfair to other Indian openers, especially when Samson and Abhishek are doing well. He urged fans to consider whether the constant calls for Sooryavanshi to play are helping the youngster or just adding to the noise around him.

“It is also unfair to other openers who are performing well when an environment is created asking why they are playing instead. People who understand cricket should think whether this hype is actually helping the player or is it created just for him,” he added.

Kotak acknowledged that Sooryavanshi wanted to play, but said the teenager understood why he had to wait for his chance. The coach also praised his approach to training and said he did not complain about being left out.

“He is much more mature now. He understands the dynamics. We all play cricket and see how players like Sanju and Abhishek bat, which means only 11 players can play. He wants to play and if I were him, I would want to play too. There is nothing wrong with that,” Kotak said.

“He is a very simple boy, he never complained and his attitude remains excellent even when he is not playing. He works hard on fielding, conditioning, batting and constantly learning from the seniors,” he added.

SOORYAVANSHI ARE NOT AFRAID IN NEW ZEALAND

Kotak also dismissed suggestions that Sooryavanshi was struggling to adapt to conditions in New Zealand. He said the teenager had his own way of preparing and that their conversations were about shot selection rather than changing his natural approach.

“Vaibhav has his own way of training. I wouldn’t say he has struggled. He likes certain things and wants to attack in a specific way. Obviously, the practice pitch, the bounce and the match environment is different from place to place. My conversation with him was focused on the shots he can play when the ball is moving from certain areas,” he said.

Kotak added that he did not want to curtail Sooryavanshi’s attacking instincts but said there was room to discuss different options when the situation called for it.

“His intent and the way he approaches the game is excellent. I wouldn’t want to change that unless the situation absolutely calls for it. He has tremendous ability and he doesn’t fight; he just discusses and decides which shots to play. Some players play shots on merit, others try to create shots regardless of where the ball is pitched.”

“Vaibhav is the type of player who likes to dominate and play the shots according to his wishes. If we observe that he can do things differently at certain moments, we discuss it. Otherwise, he is an incredible talent,” added the coach.

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