Christchurch: Shreyas Iyer, the captain of India’s T20 team, has indicated that the young batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will need to be patient for his chance in the T20I lineup.
He emphasized that Sooryavanshi cannot simply step into the playing XI at this moment, as the current opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson is performing consistently.
Sooryavanshi has made a name for himself in the IPL and U19 cricket, leading to a selection dilemma for the Indian T20I team as they weigh the option of including the talented teenager against the seasoned Samson to partner with the dynamic Abhishek Sharma.
Having participated in eight T20Is, all of which took place in foreign conditions, Sooryavanshi has yet to play in front of a home crowd, as the team has relied on its established top three during home matches.
“It’s crucial for a talent like Sooryavanshi to feel content in the dressing room. He is still very young and has plenty of time ahead of him. It’s not feasible for him to just walk in right now, given that our openers are consistently scoring and have even clinched the World Cup,” Iyer remarked before the T20I series against New Zealand.
Iyer continued, “I keep reassuring him that opportunities will come if he remains dedicated to his training. Sometimes, patience is necessary. We have two outstanding openers, and that’s the discussion we’ve been having with Vaibhav.”
Throughout the recent T20I series against the West Indies, India has maintained a consistent lineup, featuring Samson, Abhishek, and Ishan Kishan at the top, which has meant that the 15-year-old has been sidelined for all matches thus far.
As veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar makes his return to the T20I squad after nearly four years, Iyer expressed optimism that Bhuvneshwar’s experience would significantly enhance the team’s performance in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting Thursday in Christchurch.
“Bhuvi brings a wealth of experience to the team,” Iyer stated. “This was something we were missing, especially post-IPL, as we had many new bowlers. If you look at Bhuvi’s performance over the last two years, he has also won the IPL, so he understands how to excel in this format.”