The batting legend believes the 15-year-old deserved another opportunity against England, while captain Shreyas Iyer defended the team management’s selection, saying the changes were made with India’s long-term plans in mind.
India’s decision to leave out teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the fifth and final T20I against England has sparked debate, with cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar questioning the move and insisting the 15-year-old should have been given another opportunity.
After making his much-anticipated international debut amid enormous expectations, Sooryavanshi managed scores of 14, 13 and 15 in his first three T20I innings. While his aggressive intent was evident, England repeatedly exposed his vulnerability against the short ball.
Ahead of the fifth T20I, there had been speculation that India might field both Sanju Samson and Sooryavanshi by dropping Ishan Kishan. Instead, the team management recalled the experienced Samson and left the youngster out of the playing XI.
Gavaskar: “He Was Ready To Explode”
Speaking before the match on Sony Sports, Gavaskar expressed disappointment over the decision, saying the teenager had shown enough promise to deserve another chance.
“I don’t have a problem with Samson coming in. We had (predicted) Sooryavanshi at No. 3. You saw the way he walked. He is disappointed. We should have given him another opportunity in this game to see whether he has learnt. Twice he has got out playing the hook shot. Look at him. Dejected. Disappointed. I hope he only looks at this as a challenge now. Not being in the side is very disappointing.”
The former India captain pointed out that Sooryavanshi had displayed flashes of his immense talent despite failing to convert his starts.
“He had given glimpses. He was ready to explode. In all three innings, he has hammered two sixes right out of the middle of the bat. There have not been any edges or anything of that sort. The potential is there.”
Gavaskar added that if the match had been crucial to level the series, opting for experience would have been understandable. However, with the series already decided, he felt it was the ideal opportunity to back the youngster.
“If this was a must-win match to make it 2-2, I would understand giving experienced players a chance. I think this is a match where you could have given him another opportunity. I think we missed out on that.”
He also hoped senior members of the squad would help the teenager cope with the disappointment.
“I just hope somebody puts an arm around his shoulder, some senior player, and says, ‘Look, this is not the end.’ I think it’s a little hard for a 15-year-old to be dropped after three matches.”
Shreyas Iyer Explains The Selection Call
At the toss, India captain Shreyas Iyer defended the changes, stating that the management was focused on identifying the best combination for the future.
“Yeah, we’ve got two changes. Suryansh Shedge comes in for Washington, and Sanju Samson comes in for Sooryavanshi. I feel this is the time we need to figure out what’s best for us going forward as a team. Based on that, we decided this.”
Sanju Samson Returns
Sooryavanshi had been drafted into the side after Sanju Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament at this year’s T20 World Cup, endured a poor run with the bat, failing to make significant scores in three consecutive innings.
However, the teenage prodigy was unable to capitalize on his opportunity, prompting the selectors to bring Samson back into the playing XI for the series finale.
Parthiv Patel Questions Samson’s Repeated Exclusion
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel also weighed in on the selection debate, questioning why Samson continues to be the player sacrificed despite his achievements.
“Why is it always Sanju Samson who misses out? If you look at Sanju Samson’s career over the last 11-12 years, the one question that has always followed him is consistency.”
Patel acknowledged that giving Sooryavanshi an opportunity was emotionally understandable but argued that the decision was difficult to justify purely on cricketing logic.
“Either the player who isn’t scoring quickly enough gets left out, or the one who has been inconsistent. You can’t make decisions based on both emotion and logic. So emotionally, yes, it was the right call to give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a chance.”
“But if you go purely by logic, then why has Sanju Samson been left out? So, I think this decision was taken emotionally.”
The selection has reignited the debate over balancing the development of young talent with the experience of established players, especially as India continue to fine-tune their T20 combination ahead of future international assignments.