By Siddhant Tripathi3 min read
When a fifteen-year-old prodigy sets the international stage ablaze, Indian cricket usually rushes to celebrate him. Yet, in the ongoing three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi finds himself warming the bench. With India already holding an unassailable 2-0 lead, benching the young opener in the series finale would not just be an oversight—it could actively hurt his development.
The Injustice of Sidelining a Proven Match-Winner
Sooryavanshi was arguably the standout performer in India’s previous T20I assignment, capturing the Player of the Series award. Crucially, those runs did not come on flat, unforgiving batting surfaces where every top-order batter plunders boundaries with ease. They were scored on demanding, two-paced pitches where even top-ranked stroke-makers like Abhishek Sharma took time to find their bearings.
Sooryavanshi played with composure beyond his years, crafting two outstanding innings that single-handedly prevented potential upsets. For a player who made his senior international bow at just 15, performing under pressure on testing tracks should have cemented his status as one of the first names on the team sheet. Instead, he was abruptly relegated to the sidelines for the first two matches against Afghanistan.
Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Deserves His Chance Now
The team management’s initial dilemma was understandable. Accommodating senior pros like Sanju Samson, who played a vital part in India’s T20 World Cup triumph and struck a blistering half-century in the second fixture, required tough calls. In an opening match of a series, team balance and seniority often dictate selection.
However, that rationale disappears once the series is locked away. India have already wrapped up the trophy, turning the third T20I at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium into the ideal opportunity to blood bench strength. With short straight boundaries and a historically true surface, the Delhi ground represents one of world cricket’s most batting-friendly venues. Depriving an aggressive stroke-maker of Sooryavanshi’s caliber from batting on such a track is a wasted opportunity.
Fostering Healthy Top-Order Competition
Handing the teenager an opportunity in the final T20I also serves the broader interests of the squad. Sanju Samson remains a high-impact cricketer, but his international journey has experienced peaks and troughs. Introducing genuine competition keeps everyone sharp and ensures India fields the most in-form top order possible.
When an attacking talent like Sooryavanshi gets sustained game time, it keeps senior players accountable and raises the collective standard. If he delivers another match-winning blitz at the top of the order, India’s management will have the enviable problem of picking between two game-changing openers.
Protecting a Prodigy’s Fragile Confidence
The greatest risk in benching Sooryavanshi lies in the psychological impact. At 15, a cricketer’s mindset is in its most formative phase. If a teenager performs heroics, earns the Player of the Series crown, and immediately gets dropped, it sends a damaging message: that performance alone does not guarantee faith from the team management.
A talent of this magnitude cannot afford to collect rust in the dugout while in prime form. Young players thrive on continuous opportunities, backing, and the freedom to play without fear of rejection. If India wants to preserve and nurture one of the brightest young stars in world cricket, he must walk out to open the batting in the third T20I.