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Gautam Gambhir has explained the reasoning behind keeping Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out of India’s playing XI during the Afghanistan T20I series. The India head coach said the 15-year-old has been clearly told to wait for his opportunity, despite knowing the talent he possesses, while also stressing that players who have performed consistently over a longer period will remain ahead in the pecking order.
Gautam Gambhir also opened up on the selection call involving Sanju Samson, admitting that dropping the Kerala batter from the England series was probably the toughest decision of his coaching tenure. He said India wanted to return to the combination that had delivered success at the World Cup and insisted that a few failures should not make established players lose their place.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi warms bench as Sanju Samson shines vs Afghanistan
Sooryavanshi entered the Afghanistan series with considerable momentum after his performances against Zimbabwe. He smashed a 19-ball half-century in the opening T20I against Zimbabwe before scoring 20 in the second match and an 81 off 49 balls in the third. His 50 in the series opener also made him the youngest player to score a men's T20I half-century.
Despite those performances, India retained the opening combination of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson throughout the Afghanistan series. Samson responded strongly to the opportunity, scoring 10 in the first T20I, 57 off 22 balls in the second and 50 off 35 in the third. He finished the series with 117 runs.
The decision became more significant in the series finale as Samson and Abhishek put together a 142-run opening stand. Samson's 50 came off 35 balls, while Abhishek's 108 off 34 helped India reach 221/7 before the bowlers dismissed Afghanistan for 94.
With Sooryavanshi also part of India's squad for the upcoming Japan T20I and Asian Games, Gambhir was asked about the decision to keep the teenage batter out of the XI despite his recent performances.
"Probably, the toughest decision I have taken in my coaching tenure" - Gautam Gambhir on dropping Sanju Samson
Gautam Gambhir was asked about the competition between Samson, Abhishek and Sooryavanshi for the opening positions. The journalist also asked how a 15-year-old player handles being told that he will not feature in any match of a series.
"First of all, he [ Sanju Samson ] doesn't need to give me any credit. I think his talent itself is enough for him to be in the dressing room. I think he has shown what he is capable of. Someone doesn't become a player of the tournament in a World Cup without not having a talent. So, he has done enough. Obviously, it was tough," Gautam Gambhir ssid.
"Probably, the toughest decision I have taken in my coaching tenure is obviously leaving him out in that England series because obviously, the way he has performed before that. But again, sometimes you go with players' form as well and in this series, we were always very clear. From my point of view, I was very clear that we want to go back to the combination that we had during the World Cup because those guys after three or four failures do not become bad players."
"You have to wait for your opportunity" - Gautam Gambhir tells Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Gautam Gambhir then explained why Sooryavanshi was asked to wait for his opportunity despite his performances in Zimbabwe. He said India's selection was also influenced by the performances of players who had already established themselves over a longer period.
"And the kind of cricket we have played, if a team that has gone unbeaten from one World Cup to the other World Cup and has won the World Cup, I am sure it's a gun team. Suddenly, it doesn't become a bad team after one or two series and these guys do not become bad players after two or three failures. So, that is what these guys have shown here as well.
"From Vaibhav's point of view, it was again a very clear conversation that he has to wait for his opportunity. We know the kind of talent he has. We know what he can do. But again, someone who has done extremely well over a period of two years, obviously, he will always be ahead of someone who is just quite into the team. So, whenever he gets that run, he will get a longer run as well. And that is what Indian cricket is all about," Gautam Gambhir added.
"We want competition. We want that talent in the dressing room. But sometimes, that's how cricket goes, whether you're a 15-year-old or a 30-year-old. When you have to wait for your opportunity, you have to wait for your opportunity."
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