Former India head coach Ravi Shastri slammed the team management for benching 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the T20I series, insisting the young ‘X-factor’ deserved a chance after his stellar IPL season and should have played against Ireland.
Former India captain and head coach Ravi Shastri didn’t hesitate to express his candid dissatisfaction with the team management’s decision to keep Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on the bench for the 1st T20I against England at the Riverside Ground in Chester-Le-Street, Durham, on Wednesday, July 1.
After not being handed his debut India cap during the T20I series against Ireland, Sooryavanshi was once again omitted from the starting XI for the series opener against England, further delaying his much-anticipated international debut. However, the series opener was abandoned due to rain in Chester-Le-Street.
After the Men in Blue posted a solid total of 189/7 in 20 overs, thanks to a fifty by skipper Shreyas Iyer (68), Abhishek Sharma (59), and Shivam Dube’s vital late-order cameo, the heavens opened up during the interval, leaving England with no opportunity to chase down a 190-run target.
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‘He Would’ve Taken Their Pants Off’
After Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was not included in India’s playing XI for the 1st T20I against England, Ravi Shastri brutally questioned the team’s logic, doubling down on his frustration over the youngster’s exclusion during the Ireland T20I series, stating that the 15-year-old deserved to play, especially given the specific conditions that favoured his explosive style of play.
“He should have played against Ireland. It was such a slow and spongy track. He would have smacked them on the terrace, it was such a small ground. He would have taken their pants off. He should have definitely played there,” Shastri said on Sony Sports Network
“Now, whether he plays in England, I’m not sure. I am not sure whether they will blame him, but give him a game as soon as possible. He has smashed everyone in the IPL. Which fast bowler did he spare? And you’re making him warm the bench,” he added.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s explosive batting in the IPL and his subsequent inclusion in the India squad for the T20I series against Ireland and England have generated immense anticipation, yet his continued absence from the playing XI has sparked a growing controversy.
Ravi Shastri has himself been a vocal supporter of Vaibhav’s inclusion in India’s playing XI, making him the most prominent critic of the current team management’s cautious approach.
Shastri Calls Vaibhav ‘X-Factor’
Further speaking on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary natural ability, Shastri underscored that the teenager is a rare ‘X-factor’ talent who plays without the mental baggage often associated with seasoned cricketers.
“He is the X-factor, does not have any baggage. He is just 15 and has the exuberance of youth. He has no fear, and if he gets going in the first 2-3 overs, he will give you the kind of start that the middle order can capitalise on. You will have to make space for him,” he added.
With four matches left in the ongoing T20I series between India and England, it remains to be seen whether Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will finally be drafted into the playing XI or if the Indian think tank will persist with their current selection policy despite the mounting pressure and the vocal criticism from legends like Shastri.
Since the team management backs the T20 World Cup-winning core, a group that played a vital role in India’s title defence success, the decision to exclude the 15-year-old sensation appears to be a calculated, although controversial, move to prioritise stability and reward the existing squad.
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