Is Team India Making the Best Use of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Talent?

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, just 15 years old, made his T20I debut against England on 4 July 2026.He is the youngest player to play for Team India. He is very talented, but recently he is not getting regular chances. In the 2nd T20I vs New Zealand on Oct 24, 2026 he finally got a chance in playing XI but scored only 4 runs in 8 balls, batting at No 3.

So,the question is no longer why he is benched? The question Is Team India Making the Best Use of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Talent?

Here are 7 Reasons:

1 . He Played At Wrong Position

Vaibhav is an left-hand batsman opener. He used to bat in the first 6 overs when only 2 fielders are outside in powerplay. But currently Team India did not want to change their openers as their both current openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are in good form. So, they made him bat at no. 3 in place of Ishan Kishan. At no.3, he looked uncomfortable. He could not play his natural game.

2 . Samson and Abhishek are doing Very well

Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma have scored 1, 218 runs in 39 innings with 1 century and 7 fifty partnerships. In 2026 they made 5 fifty plus stands a new Indian record. Samson scored 321 runs in World cup 2026 and won the player of the tournament. Gambhir said it is unfair to drop them. Iyer praised their fearless start like 93 runs in 35 balls vs New Zealand. Is this why Vaibhav has to wait?

3. Left - Right Combination

India prefers a Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma opening pair because pairing a right hander with a left hander forces bowler to constantly change their line and field settings . While young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a bright left hand talent pairing him with Abhishek would put two left handers at the crease making it easier for opposition bowlers especially off spinners to settle into a single rhythm .

4 . He Is Only 15-year-old

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasized the importance of patience regarding the development of 15 year old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stressing that the management must protect him from premature exposure to intense international cricket. Recognizing Sooryavanshi as an exceptional long-term asset , Gambhir highlighted that the team needs to avoid rushing his progression, overhyping his achievements or placing under pressure on his young shoulders too early. By fostering a secure gradual growth environment, the team aims to let his immense talent mature naturally without the burden of overwhelming expectations.

5 . Team Balance and Role of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Vaibhav is mainly a left handed top order batter he has bowled slow left arm spin in domestic cricket like Duleep trophy but he is not a regular bowling option in T20Is , . In modern T20 top order batters like Abhishek and Tilak must bowl 1-2 overs to give caption Iyer 5 -6 bowling chances , so when Vaibhav plays as pure batter India must pick extra bowling all-rounders like Shivam Dube to complete 20 overs. Since Abhishek and Samson already hold the top spots picking Vaibhav becomes a tradeoff between pure explosive batting and bowling depth.

6 . He struggles When Ball Moves

Vaibhav's style is heavy hitting. His high backlift and hand eye coordination work very well on flat Indian pitches. But in England and New Zealand the ball swings, seams and bounces more. There his attacking style becomes a problem . Bowlers catch him early when he tries to smash every ball . To succeed globally he will need to tighten his defence and adapt when conditions help bowlers.

7 . His Red Ball Record is low - But Improving

In T20 he is a monster with 1,723 runs in 42 matches and fastest player in cricket history to reach 1000 T20 career runs in just 473 balls in IPL 2026, but in First class ( Red Ball ) he has only 399 runs at average of 23. 47 because bowlers target him with short and hard length balls , and the same weakness shows in T20I where he has only 246 runs in 8 matches and failed against NZ/ England like 4 off 8 balls ,He need to fix his defence and short ball game.

Getting less chances does not mean Vaibhav is not good enough. He is raw talent that is why he is in the Indian team . The team is just managing balance, timing and polishing his weak areas right now . Vaibhav is a future investment for Indian cricket and with patience and hard work he will get his time and come back stronger than before.

Conclusion

Cricket is not won only on the field; it is also shaped by the confidence built off it. As mentors and leaders, Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer must back Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, strengthen his confidence, and give him the right opportunities to express his talent. Young players don’t just need chances — they need trust. The question is not whether Vaibhav has the talent, but whether Team India can create the right environment for him to realize his full potential.”