The 15-year-old Vaibha is standing at the door, striving to make the team, but Abhishek is unwilling to give up his spot. This poses a serious question for the Indian squad, which may be the subject of long discussions in upcoming matches: if Vaibha Suryavanshi is included in the starting lineup, who should remain on the bench?
The young player, nicknamed 'Baby Boss,' made a sensation by scoring against Zimbabwe, but he was not selected for the squad in the first T20 against Afghanistan. Nevertheless, despite his absence, discussions about Vaibha's possible inclusion continued, especially concerning the opening slot.
The situation became more complicated after Abhishek Sharma scored 82 off 32 balls in Delhi. Now the dynamic has become even more interesting: Vaibha's desire to play persists, but Abhishek has solidified his position for now.
When Vaibha was not given a chance against Afghanistan, questions arose about the reason for this decision. What miracle did this 15-year-old batsman perform in Zimbabwe? He was the player of the match and the best player of the series in the third T20 due to his fearless play, powerful shots, and attacks on bowlers, making age seem like an insignificant factor.
The youngest cricketer playing at the level of senior Indian teams has stopped being just a story of the future; he is actively vying for a spot in the top order. This is why three names were discussed for the opening slot before the match against Afghanistan: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Vaibha Suryavanshi, but the team decided to leave Vaibha out.
However, Abhishek responded so convincingly that Vaibha's path to the start has become significantly harder.
Abhishek himself was under scrutiny. In the previous six international T20 matches, his scores were 10, 16, 3, 1, 8, and 2, and this dip in form gave hope to Vaibha. But as soon as the chase for 157 runs began in Delhi, Abhishek demonstrated his strength.
After two dot balls in the first over, he hit a six off Faruki. Then he hit a six and a four against Umarzai. In the fifth over, he added a six and a four against Faruki. In total, he scored 33 runs off 13 balls. When Rashid Khan came in, he immediately hit a four. In 22 balls, he reached a half-century. Against Rashid, he hit a six and a four, against Nur Ahmad—two consecutive sixes—and against Mohammad Nabi, he hit his seventh six. In total, he scored 82 runs off 32 balls, including 7 fours and 7 sixes, preventing Afghanistan from stabilizing.
This issue became even more acute after this match. It will be difficult to keep Vaibha on the bench for long, given his success in Zimbabwe, and it will be hard to simply call him a 'future star.' However, Abhishek chose the perfect moment to strengthen his position.
If he continues to score runs in the next matches in the same manner, the decision to drop Abhishek for Vaibha at the opening slot will become difficult. This means that the highest price for Vaibha's entry could be Sanju Samson's spot.
Samson has experience, a track record in major matches, and was awarded the tournament player of the T20 World Cup in 2026. Furthermore, in 2024, he scored three centuries in international T20s. Nevertheless, his place in the Indian T20 team is not absolutely guaranteed, and now he faces not just a young batsman, but Vaibha.
In this T20, his batting did not help stop Vaibha's path to the start; he himself scored only 10 runs off 8 balls. This 15-year-old player showed from the beginning of his international career that age is not a barrier for him. His distinguishing feature is the ability to hit powerful shots against strong bowlers and change the course of the match from the very beginning.
In that case, if Vaibha enters the starting XI, someone famous must give up their place. After Abhishek's match in Delhi, this player becomes obvious.
Vaibha did not play in Delhi, but he remained the central figure of this story. The question is no longer just when he will get a chance, but who will have to be dropped when that chance comes. Abhishek's match with his 82 runs sent a strong signal: dropping him for Vaibha is no longer easy. However, Vaibha is also not going to back down. What he demonstrated in Zimbabwe was not a one-off moment, but an entire process, and therefore this 15-year-old player, standing at the gates of the Indian team, will enter it sooner or later. The only question is who will open the innings alongside him. Abhishek has secured his place in Delhi, and now all eyes are on Sanju Samson's spot awaiting the 'Baby Boss.'
