Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India debut: The player he replaced and why in 2nd T20I vs England

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (BCCI Photo) NEW DELHI: India handed 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi his long-awaited international debut in the second T20I against England at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday.Indian captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bat first. The only change in the playing eleven was that Sooryavanshi replaced Sanju Samson at the top of the order.

Who did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi replace?

Samson set off after a slender run with the bat. He scored 5 and 0 in the two-match T20I series against Ireland and managed just 1 in the opening T20I against England at Chester-le-Street.With his debut, Sooryavanshi became India’s youngest international cricketer at the age of 15 years and 99 days, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record. Sachin made his international debut at 16 years and 205 days against Pakistan in 1989. Washington Sundar remains India’s youngest T20I debutant ahead of Sooryavanshi when he made his debut at 18 years and 80 days against Sri Lanka in 2017.Shreyas Iyer confirmed the change while tossing.“We will bat first again. (Team change?) One change, Vaibhav (Sooryavanshi) comes in for Sanju (Samson).The India captain also backed the teenager and explained why the team management had full faith in him.“(Amazing story. He’s about to become India’s youngest debutant. Is he ready?) Absolutely. You’ve seen him in the last few months smashing the ball, taking on the best of the bowlers, showing the immense confidence he has.”Iyer said Sooryavanshi earned his spot with consistent performances.“(Did you feel that significant pressure to play him?) Not really. I feel like he totally deserves to be in the lineup the way he’s performed the last couple of months and years. He’s someone who doesn’t give in to pressure at all. He’s got that unshakable character as you see him in the locker room. And it’s so good to have him around.”Asked how he handles the pressure that comes with playing for India, Iyer praised the youngster’s temperament.“(Is it part of your role as captain to help him deal with the unique pressures that come with being a player for India?) I’m sure he’s very aware of what’s coming in these matches. And as I mentioned, he has a calm demeanor. He doesn’t push at all. And the way he hits the nets, the way he literally fires the nets, the way he takes the net on the bowler.”Iyer also highlighted the intense competition for places in the Indian team.“(The T20 World Cup winning side now have the captain gone and the player of the tournament is no longer in the team. Is that a reflection of the huge competition for places that you have?) Well, absolutely. You see the competition. It’s match after match, like the amount of talent that India have produced in the last few months and years. I think it’s pleasing to the eye and also the fact that it’s under pressure for the whole series, I feel particularly good. if you perform under pressure, you reap the benefits as well.”Meanwhile, England made two changes to their playing XI, bringing back Jofra Archer and handing fast bowler Josh Tongue his T20I debut.The first T20I of the five-match series at Chester-le-Street ended scoreless after rain interrupted England’s chase of India’s 189/7.