Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made 4 runs in 8 balls in second T20I.
Former India spinner Murali Kartik questioned Indian team management led by head coach Gautam Gambhir after Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was made to bat at no. 3 in the recent second T20I between New Zealand and India on October 24 in Christchurch.
New Zealand was asked to bat first by Shreyas Iyer and posted 180/5, with Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs scoring very good half-centuries. In response, India opened with Abhishek Sharma (27) and Sanju Samson (14). Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who had replaced an injured Ishan Kishan, batted at no. 3 and was dismissed for 4 runs in 8 balls.
India slipped to 70/5, but then Naman Dhir hammered 31 in 17 balls with 3 sixes and one four, and Nitish Reddy made 26*. Tilak Varma anchored one end and shepherded the chase, making 51* in 26 balls as India won the game by 4 wickets.
As a senior member of the squad, Samson ought to have assumed the No. 3 position, according to Murali Kartik's analysis of the game at the Sony Sports Network's post-match broadcast. A batting position other than opening shouldn't even be taken into consideration for Sooryavanshi, who is only 15 years old.
"I was repeatedly saying this, even before the match started, especially before our batting, when you are playing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Where is he at his best? He is good as an opener. You have put him in the middle order. He has not played there; he is a young kid, and he has only batted in one way. This is exactly why you have experienced players, so they can play different roles. In my opinion today, although they won the match, which is a different matter, if you are playing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he should have opened today,” Kartik said on Sony Sports.
Kartik further stated that Abhishek Sharma can’t bat at no. 3, as he and Sooryavanshi both bat in similar styles. On the other hand, Sanju Samson is more versatile than the other two and can bat easily at no. 3.
"Because Abhishek Sharma plays similarly, and you have Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is also a similar player. Sanju Samson is a player who is a banker for you. He can play in different positions. I agree he might be out of position, and people might ask why him, but sometimes when you are a senior and experienced player, you have to take on these roles. This is especially true when you have selected Vaibhav Sooryavanshi," he explained.
Kartik stated that if the Indian team wanted someone to replace Ishan Kishan and bat in the middle order, they should’ve picked someone like Shivam Dube instead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Such a move would have made more sense for a vacant spot in the middle order.
"If Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was not playing today, that would be a different matter. Then Shivam Dube could have also played if they wanted someone to handle the middle order. So, I think it is about getting the best work out of everyone, and in that regard, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should have opened," he concluded.
It remains to be seen whether Sooryavanshi keeps his place when New Zealand and India clash in the third T20I of the five-game series that will be played on October 27 in Wellington.