Why is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not playing 1st IND vs AFG T20I in Delhi?
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was last seen in action during the Duleep Trophy final for East Zone.
The surprising exclusion of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from India’s playing XI for the 1st T20I match against Afghanistan has raised many eyebrows, considering that he has been chosen for the series after making his presence felt as one of the most exciting batters from India.
In what can be called an unexpected inclusion in the much-hyped T20I series of India vs Afghanistan, teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi failed to make it to the playing eleven for the first match held in Delhi. The youngster had created quite a buzz among fans after starting his international career in sensational style with his performance against Zimbabwe and winning the Player of the Series title.
It is interesting to note that Sooryavanshi was included in the team’s squad for the three-match series. It was also expected that the teenager would get his first opportunity to play his first international match on home soil, with the T20I taking place at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Nevertheless, the captain Shreyas Iyer announced the playing eleven after the toss, with Sanju Samson getting the preference over him.
Why did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi miss 1st IND vs AFG T20I?
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Firstly, because of the combination and competition in the batting line-up. India have preferred to go for some more experience and another batting combination in the series opener, where Sanju Samson will get the chance along with Abhishek Sharma.
He was fighting for a spot in the playing XI with Sanju Samson and had impressed in his early international career, having scored 193 runs in six T20Is with an SR of 189.21. He was also Player of the Series in Zimbabwe series.
This exclusion is not being considered as one due to his injury. On the contrary, Sooryavanshi had participated in India’s practice session prior to the match, along with being spotted practising alongside Bumrah.
The move will also give an opportunity for Samson to cement his place in the T20I squad of India. Before the match, Iyer had openly acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. He described having all three players as a “luxury” and admitted that it would be a “tight call” because all of them had been performing consistently.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play in the Asian Games?
Yes, 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been named in the 15-member Indian men’s cricket squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Why did Sanju Samson miss the previous series against Zimbabwe?
Sanju Samson was left out of India’s T20I squad against Zimbabwe as part of a rotational rest and a strategic move by the selection panel
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