Gambhir Explains Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Must Wait for T20I Chance
Gautam Gambhir has explained why 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is waiting for another T20I opportunity, with India continuing with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has revealed his conversation with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi over the youngster’s wait for another T20I opportunity.
Vaibhav was not selected for India’s recent T20Is against Afghanistan, with the team retaining Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma as openers. Gambhir said he explained to the teenager that players who have performed consistently for a long period can retain their place even when a younger option is in strong form.
Vaibhav subsequently impressed at the Asian Games, scoring 38 off 21 balls against Sri Lanka in the semi-final before making 15 against Pakistan in the gold-medal match.
Gambhir said India could not discard an established opening combination after a few failures. He also stressed that social media discussions would not determine the playing XI.
The coach pointed to Samson and Abhishek’s role in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup-winning campaign and said continuity remained important. He acknowledged that leaving either player out would be a difficult conversation but maintained that selection must focus on what the team believes gives it the best chance of winning.
India are scheduled to begin their five-match T20I series against the West Indies on October 6 in Lucknow, with Samson and Abhishek expected to open.
For Vaibhav, the message is simple: form can knock on the door, but selection still needs the key.
