India’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi strategy: Youngster’s debut on hold as a management firm on Samson, Abhishek

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's entry into India's T20 lineup is uncertain as team management prioritises established players Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma.

Updated on: Jun 29, 2026, 14:20:21 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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When will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play for India? That seems to be the question on every Indian cricket fan's mind. He may have earned his place in the squad on the back of some incredible performances, but as it turns out, Sooryavanshi's entry into the Playing XI could be trickier than initially thought. What does it take for a 15-year-old to break into a champion side, let alone a World Cup-winning one? Well, the team management has spoken. And for Sooryavanshi, the message is simple: patience.

It could be a while before Vaibhav Sooryavanshi features in India's Playing XI (AFP)

In the two games against Ireland, which India lost, Sooryavanshi was made to wait as trusted openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson kept their places. While Abhishek managed 49 in the first T20I in Belfast, Samson endured a forgettable series with scores of 5 and 0 as India slumped to an embarrassing defeat. Even so, do not expect drastic changes when the team heads to England for five T20Is. According to assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, the management is prepared to persist with Samson and Abhishek, meaning Sooryavanshi will have to wait for his opportunity.

“He’s absolutely ready to play international cricket, there’s no doubt about it. But it’s also not a question to leave Sanju Samson out, a guy who went out of his way to win India the World Cup three months ago. A guy who had a fair IPL. It’s important to give players confidence. We want to give players a long run in the team,” he said.

Why Samson-Abhishek?

Samson and Abhishek have been India's most bankable T20I opening pair since the 2024 T20 World Cup. Together, they have opened in 24 matches, scoring 596 runs at an average of 24.83, including three fifty-run partnerships, and a highest stand of 98. They are already India's third-highest run-scoring T20I opening pair, behind Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (1743 runs in 52 innings) and Rohit and KL Rahul (1412 runs in 34 innings). While they still have some way to go to match those numbers, Samson and Abhishek remain India's first-choice opening combination. Breaking up the pair to accommodate Sooryavanshi could disrupt the team's balance, and for now, the management appears unwilling to make that call.

“So as ready as Vaibhav is and as excited as we all are to see him play, he’s got to go through the same process and bide his time. But certainly, no question about how good he is and how ready he is,” added ten Doeschate.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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