Indian cricket team’s strategy regarding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is clear. The team management wants to groom the youngster and give him national team exposure as much as possible. India captain Shreyas Iyer and assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak have reiterated that just because a super-talented youngster is in the side, one cannot ignore the contributions of players like Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. In the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, Sooryavanshi got opportunities in the second and third T20Is after Ishan Kishan was ruled out due to injury. When Kishan regained fitness, Sooryavanshi made way for him in the fourth T20I, which India lost.
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif says Sooryavanshi could have been tried in the fourth T20I as well, with India having already sealed the series.
“This is not good news for the player (not getting a consistent run). He is a potential superstar. And you have seen what he can do. In the third T20I, he and Abhishek Sharma scored 100 runs in six overs. For his confidence-building, it is not good news for any player, even if he is a veteran,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
“There was an opportunity to play him in this game. You had already won the series. You need to see the situation you are in during the series. On one side, you left Bhuvneshwar out and said you would bring in new players. Vaibhav is also new, so why not give him the same treatment? You are grooming Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav. By the same logic, he should have played. The platform was well set.”
He also felt that Kishan could have been rested as India had already pocketed the series.
“Ishan came back from injury and was keeping wickets. My gut feeling is that he did not want to run much. Maybe that’s why he was given the gloves. If that was the case, then Kishan should not have played. It was not a do-or-die game,” he added.
“If he had a niggle, he could have been rested. India were already ahead 3-0.”
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