Last Updated on 25 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
The Vaibhav Sooryavanshi debate has intensified after Sanju Samson missed out for the third consecutive match in India’s tour of Ireland and England. Samson picked up his third consecutive single-digit score, dismissed for 1 off 7 balls in the first T20I in Durham.
The opener, searching for his best form, was well caught at point after an attempted drive off the bowling of Saqib Mahmood. Tom Banton took an excellent two-handed catch diving to his right.
While Samson deserves backing following his man of the tournament award at this year’s T20 World Cup, there is the issue of his returns away from home. As per Cricket Addictor, Samson has failed to make double figures in eight of his last 10 away knocks in T20Is, including five ducks. Remarkably, he scored centuries in each of the two times he crossed double figures in this period.
Should India pick Vaibhav Sooryavanshi over Sanju Samson?
In the end, strong contributions from Abhishek Sharma (59 off 24 balls), Shreyas Iyer (68 off 47 balls) and Shivam Dube (42* off 21 balls) took India to 189/7. Unfortunately rain had the final say, washing out the match without a ball bowled in the second innings.
The big talking remains how India can get wonderkid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the XI. Before the match, captain Iyer was firm in his view that the players who led India to the 2026 T20 World Cup title deserve backing.
“Look, all the players in the team have performed well, it’s not that only one individual has performed well,” Shreyas said.
“But we have to build that opportunity and security, so that each individual has confidence going forward into the tournaments. The players who have won the last World Cup definitely have an idea of how to play T20, and continuously they have been the main pillars of that format, so it’s very important to back them.”
Fans have had their say online. Here are some of the reactions on X (formerly Twitter):
The second T20I will take place on Saturday July 4 at Manchester.
