Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a fifteen-year-old player, attracted the attention of the entire cricketing world as the Indian team decided not to include him in the final T20I match against England.
Young Player's Achievements
This young batting talent broke Sachin Tendulkar's record, becoming the youngest player selected for the Indian national team and the youngest Indian representative across all formats. He is also a debutant for the country in Tests and the youngest in T20Is history.
Previously, Suryavanshi demonstrated impressive form for the Rajasthan Royals, scoring a total of 776 runs, including a century and a fifty, and becoming the tournament's top scorer by hitting a record 72 sixes.
Performance in Matches Against England
However, this successful form did not translate to the international level. In the first three matches against England, he managed to score only 14 runs at Manchester, 13 in Nottingham, and 15 in Bristol.
In the final T20I match against England, India decided to drop Suryavanshi, which was a controversial move and drew dissatisfaction among cricket legends. Nevertheless, Indian captain Shreyas Iyer defended the decision during the post-match press conference.
Team Management's Explanations
Iyer stated that Suryavanshi had to give way to Sanju Samson, who, according to him, 'has won us so many series in the past.' He clarified that the management wanted to form a combination of left-handers and right-handers in the top order batting, leading to the pairing of Samson and Abhishek Sharma.
Reaction from Cricket Stars
Great Indian cricket personality Sunil Gavaskar noted that the young player deserved another chance and mentioned that Suryavanshi appeared dejected, according to Indian media. Gavaskar added, 'I just hope someone puts a hand on his shoulder, some senior player, and says: 'Look, this is not the end'.' He also emphasized that if there was a chance to win the series, he would understand the need to give a chance to another player, but given the current scoreline (3-0), making an Indian victory impossible, Suryavanshi should have been kept in the squad.
Meanwhile, former player Mohammad Kaif, considered one of India's greatest fielders, expressed his bewilderment, stating that he 'has never seen such confusing Indian cricket management.' He addressed the team, noting that both Suryavanshi and Samson 'should receive confidence, not doubts in their minds.'
Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu criticized the poor communication. He advised the team to 'take a little more care of him,' pointing out that Suryavanshi is a young player 'who will serve Indian cricket for 20–25 years.' Rayudu also noted that it is 'very important for the management to absorb all the negativity, soak up all the pressure, and keep such young people in a bubble of positivity,' according to Indian media reports.
