India’s team management has come under backlash for constantly changing its opening combination in T20Is.
Former India captain and 1983 World Cup winner Krishnamachari Srikkanth believes the changes have affected the confidence of both Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
India have several opening options, including Abhishek Sharma, Samson and Sooryavanshi. Despite, the team has not given every player a consistent run, leading to questions about how the management is handling its young talent.
Sooryavanshi made his T20I debut after Samson struggled in his early matches against Ireland and England. The youngster scored 14, 13 and 15 in his first three games. He later showed his potential on the Zimbabwe tour, scoring 50, 20 and 81.
Despite those performances, Srikkanth feels India could have managed the youngster better. He said the team had affected Sooryavanshi’s confidence and suggested giving him more opportunities against the West Indies.
He also proposed resting Abhishek Sharma to allow Samson and Sooryavanshi to open together.
Srikkanth also questioned Samson’s consistency. The wicketkeeper batter played three important innings during India’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, including the final, but has struggled to maintain that form since the tournament.
According to Srikkanth, Samson has often moved between strong performances and low scores, while Abhishek has not shown the same extremes in form.
With several players competing for the opening spots, India face a selection challenge ahead of their upcoming T20Is.
The question now is whether the management will stick with its current combination or give Samson and Sooryavanshi a longer run.
