Former India players question handling of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer has stated that the Indian team management may have rushed the inclusion of teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into international cricket. Jaffer suggested that public excitement, rather than cricketing logic, influenced the decision to debut Sooryavanshi. These comments followed India’s decision to recall Sanju Samson for the final T20I against England, which meant dropping the 15-year-old opener after he recorded scores of 14, 13, and 15 in his three appearances.
Samson had initially started the series but was later excluded from the second match onwards to make space for Sooryavanshi, only to return for the series finale. Jaffer, speaking on his YouTube channel, remarked, “I think we rushed Vaibhav’s inclusion. There was a lot of media hype around him, and the public was very emotional about seeing him play. Otherwise, I had already said that India should have continued with Sanju Samson.”
The former opener believed that Sooryavanshi could have benefited from spending additional time within the national setup before making his debut. “Vaibhav had to wait for his opportunity, and when that opportunity came, he could have taken it. He’s still very young, and he can learn a lot just by being around the team and watching cricket from the outside,” Jaffer added.
Jaffer also expressed surprise regarding the management of Samson, who was omitted from India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, while Sooryavanshi retained his position. “Then, after giving him three matches, you brought Sanju back. Sanju himself played only one match, and now he’s been left out of the Zimbabwe tour. Dropping him from the Zimbabwe tour also seemed a bit strange to me because I’m sure he would have wanted to play,” Jaffer commented.
He further noted, “As it is, he only plays one format for India. He should be given regular opportunities. I’m sure Sanju Samson will be part of the plans for the next World Cup because he’s a match-winner. The way things unfolded really surprised me.”
Srikkanth criticises team management
Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has strongly criticised Shreyas Iyer and the team management for their handling of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the recent tour of the United Kingdom. Srikkanth expressed disappointment with Iyer’s remarks at the toss before the final T20I against England in Southampton, where India suffered a 56-run defeat, resulting in a 4-0 series sweep for England.
Srikkanth specifically took issue with Iyer’s justification for dropping the Bihar left-hander, who became India’s youngest international debutant at 15 years and 99 days old, in favour of a returning Sanju Samson. Iyer had stated at the toss, “I feel this is the time we need to try what’s the best going forward for us as a team. So based on that, we decided this.”
The decision did not yield the desired results, as India’s bowlers conceded 257 runs, with England captain Jos Buttler scoring 131. In response, Samson, who had been dropped three matches earlier, scored 27 runs off 14 balls but could not convert his start into a substantial contribution during the chase.
“I was so upset with the interview after the toss,” Srikkanth said. “This is not the way to talk. How you are treating your players, how you are forming a young team is important. If this is the way forward, the way forward is to change everybody (leadership group).”
Sooryavanshi was fast-tracked into the national side following a successful IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals, where he became the youngest Orange Cap winner after scoring 776 runs. After sitting out the initial matches, he made three appearances in the series, scoring 14, 13, and 15, and was dismissed twice by England paceman Jofra Archer.
Srikkanth defended the youngster, drawing a parallel to his own experience as India captain in 1989, when he gave a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar his international debut. “When Sachin Tendulkar made his debut at 16, I went up and told him ‘you won’t be dropped in this tour. You play fearlessly’,” Srikkanth recalled, suggesting that similar confidence should be instilled in young players like Sooryavanshi.
The selection issues contributed to a challenging tour for India, who returned from the British Isles without a victory, having lost 0-2 in Ireland and then suffering a 0-4 whitewash in England. The team management has faced criticism for frequently changing its opening combinations.
Yuvraj Singh’s backing
While Jaffer advocated for patience, former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh expressed strong confidence in Sooryavanshi’s long-term potential. Speaking to JioHotstar, Yuvraj likened the evolution of India’s fearless batters to the Terminator film franchise, describing Sooryavanshi as the latest and most advanced version after himself and Abhishek Sharma.
“I always call myself a Terminator. Now there is Terminator 4, Abhishek Sharma, who is four times better than me. And after him comes Terminator 6, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has evolved even more,” Yuvraj stated. The World Cup-winning all-rounder also mentioned his desire to mentor the youngster in the future, believing Sooryavanshi has the potential for a long and successful international career despite his initial challenges.
The controversy surrounding team selections has been a significant talking point, especially with Samson’s omission from the upcoming three-match T20I tour of Zimbabwe, where Prabhsimran Singh will serve as the reserve wicketkeeper.
This decision has raised concerns about the consistency within the current leadership group, particularly as Sooryavanshi has retained his spot in the squad for the Zimbabwe tour.
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Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
