Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has played 8 T20Is for India | PC- AFP
Former Indian Test cricketer Aakash Chopra has brought a solution for the Gautam Gambhir-helmed team management to accommodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in India’s playing 11 in T20Is.
The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who has gained the reputation of being a swashbuckling opener after his 776-run IPL 2026 season, is not getting his due chances with Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Ishan having sealed positions in the T20I setup.
Aakash Chopra suggests a way to accommodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
While bringing a solution in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s case, Aakash Chopra suggested bringing in a rotation policy in the Indian top order to accommodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
"Vaibhav Sooryavanshi isn't getting chances because a place isn't being created for him. In whose place should you play him? To be fair, he can play only in place of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, or Ishan Kishan," Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
However, Chopra added that no one will agree with his approach.
"When three people are doing well, you can't get a chance suddenly. I know it is heartbreaking, but there is no other way. No one is agreeing with the method I am suggesting. You can do a rotation. Give chances to all four of them in rotation," he added.
Sooryavanshi's limited game time under Gambhir raises questions before IND vs NZ
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi last played for India during the Asian Games 2026 final, when VVS Laxman was filling in as an interim head coach. Notably, the teenager has all five T20Is with Laxman at the helm.
However, Sooryavanshi has played just three of 15 matches under Gambhir’s leadership.
Ahead of the fourth IND vs WI T20I, with the visitors leading the series, pundits and experts suggested bringing in the left-handed opener to give him exposure. However, it didn’t happen.
Nevertheless, there is a lot of buzz around Suryavanshi’s selection in the T20Is against New Zealand, starting on October 22 in Christchurch.
In eight T20Is, Sooryavanshi has scored 246 runs with a strike rate of 186.36. Meanwhile, in T20 cricket, he has racked up 1723 runs at a SR of 214.83, with four tons and eight fifties to his name.
