Former India batter and BCCI chief selector Kris Srikkanth has lambasted head coach Gautam Gambhir over the handling of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after his initial failures in the T20I series against England.
The 15-year-old didn’t have an ideal debut series in the Indian jersey, as he registered scores of 4, 13, and 15 in Manchester, Nottingham, and Bristol, respectively, before he was dropped from the fifth and final T20I against England at The Oval, which sparked criticism and debate over Team India management’s handling of rising youngsters under pressure.
However, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced his arrival in the international arena with a fiery 18-ball fifty in the first T20I of the three-match series against Zimbabwe, helping the Men in Blue chase down a 126-run target with 40 balls to spare in 13.2 overs, powering India to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory.
‘How did Gautam Gambhir Foolishly Drop Him?’
Following Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fiery performance in the first T20I against Zimbabwe, former India batter Kris Srikkanth unloaded on Gautam Gambhir on his YouTube channel, ‘Cheeky Cheeka’, questioning the team management over the quick decision to drop the young batting prodigy after only a brief slump against top-tier opposition.
The former BCCI chief selector Sooryavanshi praised him for his tremendous dedication, revealing that instead of returning home after the England tour, the youngster went straight to the Rajasthan Royals camp to work extensively on handling the short ball.
“He has an effortless range of shots, yet not one shot was cross-batted. This boy is really something special. How did Gautam Gambhir foolishly drop him, of all people, after three failures to crush his confidence?” Srikkanth said.
“I salute Vaibhav for his dedication. After the England series, he didn’t go home and instead went straight to the Rajasthan Royals camp. He has been working on his batting against the short ball because he wants to prove to the whole world that he is special,” he added.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was fast-tracked into the India T20I squad for the tour of the UK and Zimbabwe following his impressive showing in his record-breaking IPL season, where he amassed 776 runs, including a century and 5 fifties, at an average of 48.50 and an astonishing strike rate of 237.30in 16 matches.
However, Sooryavanshi wasn’t given an opportunity in the T20I series against Ireland before he made his international debut in the series against England, where he experienced his first taste of senior international cricket.
‘That’s His Greatness’
Further speaking on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s remarkable fearless approach at the crease, Srikkanth highlighted that despite suffering early setbacks, the teenager refused to curb his natural attacking instincts or play defensively just to save his place in the team.
“The ease at which he scores at a 250 strike rate is extraordinary. Normally, after three failures, other players would have tried to safeguard their place in the Indian team by taking singles and twos,” the former BCCI chief selector said.
“But he played fearlessly without worrying about the consequences. Scoring a 50 off 18 balls has become child’s play for him. That’s his greatness,” he added.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s attacking style of batting, rather than a conservative approach, has become his trademark that defines his fearless character on the pitch, allowing him to bounce back immediately and deliver match-winning performances for his country when it matters most.