India have kept their playing combination under wraps ahead of the first T20I against the West Indies, with bowling coach Morne Morkel declining to confirm whether 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be included in the XI. Morkel said the final combination would be decided on match day after the team assesses the players following their recent Asian Games campaign.
Sooryavanshi did not feature in India’s three-match T20I series against Afghanistan but returned to the playing XI during the Asian Games. Under head coach VVS Laxman, India opted for a longer batting lineup in the spin-friendly conditions, with Sooryavanshi opening alongside Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson batting at No. 3. India went on to win the gold medal after defeating Pakistan in the final.
The conditions expected for the West Indies series could lead to a different selection call. With the pitches in India expected to offer more assistance to batters, the team management could consider returning to the combination used during the Afghanistan series, which would leave Sooryavanshi out of the starting XI. Morkel, however, stressed that the decision would depend on the players’ condition after travel and the Asian Games campaign.
Morkel said the selectors, coach and captain would determine the combination that gives India the best chance of winning while keeping preparations for the next World Cup in mind. He added that the team needed to assess how everyone was feeling after returning from the Asian Games before finalising the playing XI.
The bowling coach also backed Sooryavanshi’s development, saying the youngster could benefit from remaining around experienced players even when he does not get regular opportunities. Morkel said training alongside senior cricketers, observing their preparation and understanding how they approach innings could provide valuable learning for a young player. He emphasised that the team’s responsibility was to help young players learn, grow and ask questions regardless of their playing time.
Sooryavanshi made his India debut against England earlier this year and has since played eight T20Is for the national side. He also produced a Player of the Series performance against Zimbabwe, underlining his potential at the international level. Whether he gets another opportunity against the West Indies will only become clear when India announce their playing XI on match day.