Play him in the first game: Gavaskar urges India to debut Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs England. Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has called for teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to make his India debut in the opening T20I against England in Durham on Wednesday. The 15-year-old could provide the spark India needs after their disappointing 0-2 series defeat to Ireland. India’s batting struggled under new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, prompting calls for changes ahead of the five-match series against England. Gavaskar believes Sooryavanshi’s unpredictability could work in India’s favor.
I’m hoping that Sooryavanshi plays the first game because it will be the start of a new series and he gets the team off to a flying start. It’s the best way to recover from the series loss against Ireland, Gavaskar said. He admitted fitting Sooryavanshi into the playing XI would be a challenge given the performances of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, but argued that England’s lack of familiarity with the youngster could be decisive. If he gets going, he can take the game away. India needs somebody to make an impact straight away, Gavaskar added.
Despite Shreyas Iyer’s poor start as captain, Gavaskar urged patience, noting that adapting to leadership takes time. Iyer’s leadership has been proven in T20 cricket. He has won trophies and taken teams to finals, he said. Gavaskar also felt India’s batters needed to adapt better to seamer-friendly pitches in Belfast, where shot selection let them down. He backed Rohit Sharma to silence doubts about his future during the upcoming ODI series against England, saying England is a very good platform for him.
On England pacer Jofra Archer, Gavaskar said his impact depends on his mindset, calling him a top-class bowler who can trouble anyone when in the mood. He added that Ben Stokes’ retirement did not surprise him, though he expected it at season’s end. India will look to bounce back when they face England in the first T20I on July 1.