4 min readJun 27, 2026 02:28 PM IST
First published on: Jun 27, 2026 at 02:28 PM IST
With India losing the first T20I against Ireland in what was their first loss against Ireland on Friday, all the talk has been about whether teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will make his debut in the second match. While Abhishek Sharma played a 20-ball knock of 50 runs on Friday, Sanju Samson could only score five runs. Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has weighed in, saying that he still doesn’t see how it will be fair on Samson or Abhishek if Sooryavanshi takes up either of their places in the next match.
“There is no place for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi right now. If he has to play, then selectors should send him to Zimbabwe tour, where these incumbent openers will not be there. But it seems difficult. Sanju Samson is not in Test team and ODI team and same with Abhishek Sharma. Earlier, one player used to play in all three formats. This is the ODI cricket World Cup preparation year and if the T20 cricketers will not get a chance, then where will they play. So it’s not fair. Whatever happened, it was right. On merit, Vaibhav Sooryvanshi demands a place. But then not at the cost of the incumbent openers. Purely if you have to make a place for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, it should come in case of loss of form or an injury replacement,” Ashwin said on his Youtube channel Ash ki Baat.
After this year’s IPL, where Sooryavanshi had amassed 776 runs in 16 innings this IPL at a strike rate of 237.30, the selectors had named the Bihar cricketer for the Indian team for the Ireland and England Tour as well Asian Games. Sachin Tendulkar currently holds the record for the youngest player to have played for India when he made his international debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16 years and 205 days. Sooryavanshi, who will turn 16 next year, is expected to break Tendulkar’s record. Ashwin spoke about how a team is not built for an individual and how Sooryavanshi has to sit to get his chance as an opener in the current Indian T20 team, which won the T20 World Cup. “I have told many times how good a player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is. But we have to understand that it’s a team game. Nobody makes a team for an individual. Gautam Gambhir has said about team first and there should not be a superstar culture. I agree that superstars are great for the game and it’s easier to sell the game due to superstars. But what mistake have Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson made so that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can play by keeping one of them out?,”said Ashwin.
Sooryavanshi had become the first uncapped player ever to score 700 runs in a single IPL season this year apart from becoming the first player in T20 history to score 500 powerplay runs in a single edition of a tournament. He was also the Most Valuable Player this IPL and also picked up the emerging player award and the Orange Cap. Ahswin spoke about how Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan too scored runs this IPL as openers and currently Sooryavanshi has to wait for his chance in the Indian team and how he can still benefit from sitting in the dug-out. “You should call Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan too, who have scored runs. You should play five openers by rotation. We should think about the game with some wisdom. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have batted well in the last few years. Sanju Samson batted well in the World Cup. If somebody out of these two have to sit out to make Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play, then what’s the point of us calling it a team game. You put yourself in their shoes. I understand Vaibhav Sooryvanshi has to play as he is a big entertainer. But not at any cost. A lot of times, there is a value in sitting in the dug-out. In that also, he will learn a lot of things. A big player doesn’t become overnight. It might be possible that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will never be dropped once he makes it. What happened with Sachin Tendulkar, it can happen with him. My point is he might have a long career for India. There is no harm in sitting out,” said Ashwin.
After this year’s IPL, where Sooryavanshi had amassed 776 runs in 16 innings this IPL at a strike rate of 237.30, the selectors had named the Bihar cricketer for the Indian team for the Ireland and England Tour as well Asian Games. (BCCI Photo) 
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