Why India should play Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in NZ vs IND 5th T20I?
(Courtesy : BCCI/X)
In-form teenager deserves another chance in the 5th T20I.
India will face New Zealand in the fifth and final T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on November 1. Having taken an unassailable 3-1 lead, the visitors can experiment with their playing XI.
One change India should seriously consider is bringing back Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in place of Sanju Samson. The 15-year-old has played twice in the series, and his performance in the third T20I demonstrated why he deserves another opportunity.
Explosive opening combination with Abhishek Sharma
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Sooryavanshi made an immediate impact in the third T20I in Wellington, scoring 45 off just 19 deliveries. He struck 4 boundaries and 4 sixes, attacking the New Zealand bowlers from the beginning.
His partnership with Abhishek Sharma was particularly impressive. The opening duo added 133 runs in just 43 deliveries, including a record-breaking 118 runs in the powerplay. It became the highest powerplay score in men’s T20I history, surpassing the previous record of 116.
Their aggressive approach put New Zealand under pressure and laid the foundation for India’s successful chase of 199 in just 13.2 overs. Bringing Sooryavanshi back alongside Abhishek could help India recreate that explosive opening combination.
Sanju Samson has struggled for consistency
Sanju Samson has not been consistent with the bat in the ongoing series. His scores across the four matches have been 67, 14, 18 and 4.
Although his opening-match half-century was impressive, he has managed only 36 runs across his last three outings. He was dismissed for just four in the fourth T20I against New Zealand.
With Ishan Kishan also available as a wicketkeeping option, India could use the final match to give Sooryavanshi another opportunity at the top.
Make the most of Sooryavanshi’s current form
India should not hold Vaibhav back just because of his age. Being just 15 means he has plenty of years ahead, but that does not mean the team should wait when he is already in excellent form and delivering at the international level.
Rather than keeping him out of the playing XI, India should make the most of his current confidence and attacking rhythm. Regular opportunities could help him build on his performances and establish himself at the highest level.
With the series already decided, the Hamilton T20I offers an ideal opportunity to test the young opener again. India have already seen what he can bring to the top order, and leaving him out when he is in such good touch could mean missing an opportunity to build on that momentum.
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