Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is being discouraged: Srikkanth tears into Gautam Gambhir's India

Kris Srikkanth has questioned India's handling of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, accusing the team management of discouraging the teenager. The former India captain believes Sooryavanshi needs a sustained run in the side, rather than being left uncertain about his role.

In Short

• Srikkanth questions why Sooryavanshi was benched in Hamilton
• The 15-year-old has scored runs across formats and age groups
• Former India opener wants him to be considered for the ODI team

Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has criticised the Gautam Gambhir-led team management over its handling of teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, questioning why the youngster was not given an opportunity in the final T20I against New Zealand in Hamilton.

India opted to retain their batting combination for the final match despite the result having no bearing on the outcome of the series. While the team made changes to its bowling combination, Sooryavanshi was once again left on the bench, having played two matches earlier in the series when Ishan Kishan was unavailable due to injury.

The decision did not sit well with Srikkanth, who felt India were missing an opportunity to give the 15-year-old valuable international experience. The former opener also argued that the lack of clarity over Sooryavanshi's role could affect the youngster's confidence.

"Give a good run to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Give the three openers clarity. Tell them you'll play 3 matches and you'll get the remaining two. Instead, you have benched Vaibhav Sooryavanshi," Srikkanth said on YouTube.

HAVE INDIA MISMANAGED VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI?

India brought Sooryavanshi into the T20I setup after two sensational IPL seasons. Having taken the tournament by storm last year, the teenager followed it up with another outstanding campaign earlier this year, finishing as the competition's leading run-scorer.

At just 15, Sooryavanshi accumulated 776 runs against some of the best bowling attacks in the world, making it increasingly difficult for the selectors to ignore his performances.

However, opportunities at the international level have been harder to come by. India carried the youngster on their tour of the United Kingdom but did not give him a game in the two-match T20I series against Ireland. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma opened the batting in both matches, with India enduring a disappointing campaign.

Srikkanth felt those matches presented an ideal opportunity to introduce Sooryavanshi to international cricket.

"Where should have Vaibhav played? Ideally, those two matches against Ireland. You made a mess of that. And against a weak bowling unit like the West Indies, you didn't play Vaibhav at all," Srikkanth said.

The young opener subsequently featured in India's victorious campaign at the Asian Games 2026, where the team defeated Pakistan in a closely fought final.

However, when India faced the West Indies, the team once again reverted to the opening combination of Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Both batters enjoyed success on the flat Indian pitches, leaving Sooryavanshi without an opportunity to establish himself in the senior side.

Srikkanth acknowledged Samson's performances but questioned whether India had missed an opportunity to test their young batting prospect against a less challenging bowling attack.

"Yes, Sanju Samson was outstanding. He was outstanding in the T20 World Cup. No doubt. But, the West Indies bowling that visited India, I would score runs against them at this age. It's a series for improving stats," he said.

SRIKKANTH WARNS INDIA

For Srikkanth, the concern goes beyond Sooryavanshi missing out on one particular match. He believes the youngster is being left in an uncertain position, with the team management yet to provide clarity on whether he is being considered a regular opening option or merely a backup.

The former India captain argued that repeatedly carrying the teenager in the squad without giving him a sustained run could prove counterproductive. Rather than building his confidence through opportunities, the current approach risks making him question his place in the team.

"Give him chance and groom him. Instead of encouraging him, you're discouraging that boy. I want to ask why he didn't play the West Indies series. This boy has to play, instead you're completely discouraging that boy. The opposition don't have any clue if Abhishek and Vaibhav open. You saw it in New Zealand," Srikkanth said.

He also went a step further, suggesting that Sooryavanshi's performances across formats and competitions merit consideration for India's ODI setup.

"Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is scoring at every level. I want him to be in the ODI team. I believe he should be in the ODI team. He is a boy who is highly talented. In the IPL, he top scored. He has scored runs everywhere," he added.

Srikkanth's criticism ultimately centres on the need for India to give their young opener a clearer pathway into international cricket. Sooryavanshi has already shown that he can compete against experienced bowlers and deliver runs at the highest level of domestic franchise cricket. The challenge now is to translate that promise into the international game.

India do not necessarily have to hand a 15-year-old a permanent place in the playing XI, but Srikkanth believes they need to be clearer about what they expect from him. If the team management sees Sooryavanshi as a long-term opening option, giving him a defined run of matches could be more valuable than repeatedly bringing him into the squad without a clear role.

For a teenager who has made a habit of scoring runs wherever he has played, the next step is to find out what he can do with a sustained opportunity in India colours.

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