Shreyas Iyer Reveals Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Was Dropped In India Vs England 5th T20I

Shreyas Iyer explained why India dropped Sooryavanshi [Source: AFP]

Shreyas Iyer conceded yet another defeat as the Indian captain, as England comfortably outclassed the tourists by 56 runs in the fifth T20I in Southampton. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had created a lot of buzz much before India's UK tour commenced, thanks to his stellar performance in the IPL 2026. 

Although fans demanded his debut as soon as Team India departed for Ireland, it took three consecutive failures from Sanju Samson to force the Gautam Gambhir-led team management to finally launch Sooryavanshi in England. However, the southpaw managed only 42 runs in his first three outings before India went back to Sanju Samson for the final T20I against England in Southampton. 

Why was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dropped in IND Vs ENG 5th T20I? Shreyas Iyer reveals

Despite dropping Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and opening the batting with Sanju Samson, India failed to chase a mammoth target of 259 runs after having another off day with the ball on the England tour. 

Considering Sooryavanshi is only 15 years old, his ouster from the team right after three failures earned massive backlash for the Gautam Gambhir-led Indian think tank. 

The way India treated Samson and Sooryavanshi throughout the series highlighted the lack of clarity, raising serious questions on the management for turning the team selection into a musical chairs. 

After India lost the fifth T20I, captain Shreyas Iyer explained that the Indian think tank wanted a right-handed batter to open the batting with the left-handed Abhishek Sharma. 

As the tourists decided to form a right-left combination at the top, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made way for Sanju Samson. 

"See, as I mentioned, we needed to try the best combination that would be perfect in these conditions. And we also wanted a right-hander to go on with Abhishek. So, that was one of the major reasons and if you see, I was the only one out of all the left-handers who is a right-hander," Shreyas Iyer said in the post-match press conference. 

Also Read: Heartbroken Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Holds Back His Tears As Shreyas Iyer Drops Him For 5th T20I

Sanju Samson for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: India's tactical reason behind the bold call

It's worth noting that a right-left batting combination has traditionally been the go-to formula for batting teams to keep the opponents at bay. 

Such a move forces the bowlers to adapt to the conditions and adjust their lines and lengths frequently, thereby widening the scope for errors while operating with the ball. 

As Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue had continuously troubled India's left-heavy top-order, the Men in Blue decided to modify the combination by reintroducing Sanju Samson in place of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. 

Can Vaibhav Sooryavanshi make India comeback in Zimbabwe T20Is?

Shreyas Iyer added that Sooryavanshi's exclusion was intended specifically for the fifth T20I, with the Indian team trying to form a different combination to unsettle the English fast-bowling duo of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue. 

"I mentioned earlier, we wanted to try a different combination which would be suitable for this particular game. He (Sanju Samson) is a gun batsman. He has won so many series for us in the past. So, yeah, one of those reasons," Shreyas Iyer added. 

As Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's snub was a part of India's strategy for the final dead-rubber against England, the doors for his comeback to the playing XI in the upcoming Zimbabwe series are undoubtedly open. 

However, it will largely depend on the performances of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, as the failure of either player will facilitate Sooryavanshi's return to the Indian lineup. 

All is not over for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

While Sooryavanshi failed to live up to the expectations in England, he could get a golden chance to redeem himself when the Indian team faces Zimbabwe in a three-match series, starting on July 23. 

He is also an integral member of the India squad for the Asian Games 2026, which will be played in September. So, all is not over for the southpaw, and considering his potential, we reckon Sooryavanshi will definitely bounce back and silence his critics in the upcoming matches. 

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