Kartik: Gambhir and Shreyas told Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to wait for his opportunity
On October 19, 2026, former India spinner Murali Kartik said Gautam Gambhir and Shreyas Iyer had told Vaibhav Sooryavanshi "You have to wait for your opportunity." Kartik made the remarks during a virtual interaction with India Today organised by Sony Sports Network.
Sooryavanshi, 15, was named Player of the Series on India's tour of Zimbabwe but did not feature in the playing XI for India's subsequent series against Afghanistan and the West Indies. Despite strong performances in the IPL and a brief opening stint alongside Abhishek Sharma at the Asian Games, the teenager is yet to make a senior India debut on home soil, prompting visible frustration among supporters at domestic matches.
Kartik argued there was no urgency to force a change to India's opening slots and pointed to the established form of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma as justification for continuity. He cited the partnership figures — Samson and Abhishek have scored 1,125 runs together in 38 T20Is, placing them as India’s fourth-highest run-scoring pairing in the format — and noted Ishan Kishan's current form as further competition for the top order.
"I am not somebody who makes a change for the sake of it. I know change is constant, but change for the right reasons. There has to be a reason why there is a change. So, when it comes to the opening duo in India, I know they are a bit inconsistent, but that is what has won games for you," said Karthik. "We have seen the quality of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, both of them are sitting right up there. Then you've got Ishan Kishan, who's your number two, number one players out there, so it's very difficult to make the change."
Kartik drew a parallel with Yashasvi Jaiswal's struggle to secure a regular white-ball spot despite strong showings in Test cricket and the IPL, noting the presence of established incumbents at the top of the order. "Yes, we get excited because he's an exciting talent. We are not taking anything away, but at the end of the day, it's like Yashasvi Jaiswal in white-ball cricket. Do you make the change just for the sake of it, just to knock somebody off?" he asked. "I don't think I am in favor of that. I've never been in favor of that. I don't think going forward I'll ever be in favor of that,"
Kartik stressed patience and preparedness, recalling that Sooryavanshi made his India debut in England when Samson was struggling and a change was required. "At the end of the day, we can't predict what's going to happen. Tomorrow, it could be that one of the batters going 15 innings without getting runs, and you are forced to make a change. 'So, at that point of time, you want the second guy who's waiting. The guy waiting behind the door, ready to come out and say, 'listen, I'm there.'"
He also defended the management's approach to communicating with the youngster, saying honesty is preferable to bringing a player in merely to appease public demand. "Even if you have to give them the harsh truth, it's better to give it to them, because you take it on your chin. You might not like it; it's not palatable for a while, but it is what it is. You have to deal with it and move on." "I think that is the best way to go about things. Because Shreyas has spoken about it, Gautam has spoken about it, I'm pretty sure they're having the right word with Sooryavanshi, because he's there. Nobody is saying that he's not there. It's just that sometimes when the others are doing well, you cannot. It is unfortunate, but it is what it is,"
Sooryavanshi has been named in India's squad for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, keeping a home debut possibility alive while the management retains its current opening options; the India tour of New Zealand will be shown live and exclusive on Sony Sports Network, Sony LIV and Sony Vizha starting October 22, 2026.
