Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was once again left out of India’s playing XI for the fourth T20I against West Indies in Hyderabad. Leaving the 15 year old waiting for another opportunity.
Despite, a comparison between his appearances under Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman has now raised questions among fans.
Sooryavanshi has played eight T20Is for India, scoring 246 runs at a strike rate of 186. He has made five appearances in matches under Laxman, who deputised for Gambhir during the Zimbabwe T20I series and the Asian Games.
Under Gambhir, the youngster has played only three times despite being part of 14 matchday squads.
The difference has caught attention because Sooryavanshi played all three matches in Zimbabwe under Laxman. He also featured in India’s Asian Games semi-final and final.
Under Gautam Gambhir Sooryavanshi has struggled to find a regular place in the playing XI. His absence against West Indies has added to the debate, especially given his aggressive batting and impressive strike rate.
With India sticking to the same combination, his chances of playing in the series decider could depend on the team’s plans for the final match.
Former India opener Virender Sehwag has also backed the idea that age should not decide a player’s opportunities once they are good enough to compete at the highest level. He argued that performance should matter more than whether a player is 15 or approaching 40.
Sooryavanshi’s numbers have certainly made the selection debate more interesting. But the comparison also reflects different team situations and selection decisions, rather than proving that one coach rates him more than the other.
The bigger question remains will India give the teenager another chance, or will he continue to wait for his opportunity under Gambhir?
