India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak emphasized that 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will receive his international opportunity when the time is right, but it must not happen by unfairly dropping an in-form player who is already scoring runs.
Ahead of the two-match T20I series opener against Ireland in Belfast, Kotak acknowledged Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary natural talent but highlighted the severe selection headache facing the team management comprising new captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
India’s top order features Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan, who all played pivotal roles in the team’s T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year.
If Sooryavanshi features in this series, he will become the youngest-ever cricketer to debut for India, shattering Sachin Tendulkar's 36-year-old record (16 years, 205 days).
The teenager was rewarded with a place in India’s T20I squad after a remarkable IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals. He finished as the tournament's highest run-scorer, amassing 776 runs in 16 innings at a staggering strike rate of 237.30.
“Vaibhav is very talented, there is no doubt. And the way he has batted in IPL and all the other games, there is no need to tell that he has got a lot of natural abilities. Because in IPL he has faced Jofra, a lot of quick bowlers, a lot of experienced bowlers. And it seems that nothing is bothering him. So he is obviously an extraordinary talent.
“Today evening, captain and head coach will decide about the team. And if he plays great, if he doesn’t play also for me, that is great because he is part of Indian team. And I am sure that he will get his dues and his opportunities. So I don’t think that just to give him an opportunity, we should drop someone who has already been scoring runs.
“That also won’t be right. I think there is a very thin line between trying to give somebody an opportunity and you are being unfair to some other player,” Kotak told reporters on the eve of the first T20I against Ireland.
Kotak feels even selectors have a very tough job at hand, considering the rich pool of T20 talent in India. He is relieved that he is not part of the team selection process.
“If you ask me, there is so much talent in India that even the selectors have a headache. Honestly saying, I don’t have such a big headache because I am not the head coach and the captain. But sometimes it is tough.
“But we also have to remember one thing that those who are already performing, they should never be ignored, as I believe. Those who are already scoring, winning games for the team. BCCI’s structure is such that players will keep coming,” the batting coach stated.
When asked if Sooryavanshi needs extra attention of the team management, Kotak replied: “I feel that at this level, maturity, decision-making, and intent of those who perform at this level will always be good. And more than that, as long as he feels that he is part of the team, he can freely behave the way he behaves in other teams. That is good enough.”
“And thanks to the BCCI system, the boys who come from U19, India A they more or less understand the culture of their Indian team. So, it is not that there is a lot of difference for him. But what we were saying is that he should enjoy. If he wants to ask or share something, he should do. Gautam was saying the same thing to him. You just feel like you are playing for your own team and just say whatever you feel,” he added.
Shreyas has taken over the reins, having proven his leadership mettle in the IPL, including a title win for KKR in 2024 and runners-up finish for DC and PBKS in 2020 and 2025 respectively.
Kotak expressed confidence in Iyer’s ability to lead the side efficiently. “It is not like that he is with the team for the first time. Even in this team, you will see that there will be 2-3-4 senior players who will be in the leadership group. No matter who the captain is, they keep helping each other. Shreyas has done a lot of captaincy in IPL, he has done it for Mumbai.”
“So he has a lot of experience. In fact, when he became champion with Gautam in KKR, Shreyas was the captain. So it’s not like people are expecting something different from him or he is expecting something different.”
“The thing that we always have is that we will keep the team first, we will do whatever is needed for the team. I think his speech in the huddle today was the same. That we will look after everyone,” Kotak remarked.
(With PTI Inputs)
