Gambhir: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi must wait after being left out of India’s third T20I vs Afghanistan

India coach Gautam Gambhir said Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to wait for his opportunity after the batter was not selected for the third T20I against Afghanistan on Thursday, September 17. Gambhir made the comment at the post-match press conference following the series finale.

Sooryavanshi entered the Afghanistan series on the back of strong form, having been named Player Of The Series on the Zimbabwe tour with 151 runs at a strike rate of 196.10. Despite that form, Sanju Samson returned to the India squad and was picked for the series finale, leaving Sooryavanshi out of the playing XI.

Gambhir defended the selection of Samson, citing his recent and past performances. "I think Samson showed what he is capable of. Someone doesn't become Player Of The Tournament in the World Cup without having talent, so he has done enough. Obviously, it was tough- probably the toughest decision I have taken in my coaching career, was leaving him out of that England series because of the way he had performed before that," said Gambhir.

Gambhir said his preference was to revert to the combination that had won the T20 World Cup. "But again, sometimes you go with the players form as well. From my point of view, I wanted to go back to the combination we had during the World Cup, because those guys after three or four failures, don't become bad players. If a team that has gone from one World Cup to another one unbeaten and has won the World Cup. Suddenly, it has become a team after one series and these guys not become bad players."

Samson finished the Afghanistan series with two fifties and 117 runs from three matches, figures Gambhir used to justify selection continuity. On Sooryavanshi, Gambhir stressed the youngster's talent but made clear the senior player's experience counted in selection decisions. "From Vaibhav's point of view, it is 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 done extremely well over a period of years obviously will always be ahead of someone who has got into the team. Whenever he gets that chance, you will get a longer run as well," said Gambhir.

"And that is what Indian cricket is all about. We want competition, we want that talent in the dressing room. But sometimes that's how cricket goes. Whether it is a 15-year-old or a 30-year-old, you have to wait for opportunity." Fans will be hoping they will get to see Sooryavanshi in action during the Japan T20I or the Asian Games.