Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s first three outings for India produced scores of 14, 13 and 15. That’s 42 runs off 25 balls. The returns may not have been eye-catching as India lost to England, but the bigger picture was never just about the numbers. It was about the moment itself. Sooryavanshi broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record to become the youngest male cricketer to represent the country, a moment world cricket had been waiting for ever since he captivated the imagination of the audience.
However, a report claims that Sooryavanshi was not originally in line to make his debut in Manchester. In fact, he was reportedly not expected to feature until the final game of the T20I leg. A report in Dainik Jagran claimed that both chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir were in favour of Sanju Samson opening alongside Abhishek Sharma regardless of the results, but that the plan changed due to “indirect pressure”.
“Fifteen-year-old Sooryavanshi, who won the Orange Cap for scoring over 700 runs in the IPL, was selected by the selectors for the tours of Ireland and England, but Sanju was set to play in the first six matches. If Sanju didn’t perform well in those six matches, Vaibhav would be given a chance in the final match, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar and Gambhir were on the same page,” the report stated.
“Despite Sanju’s poor performance in the two matches against Ireland and the first T20I against England, it was clear that he would play in the second T20I as well. However, due to indirect pressure, Vaibhav was given the opportunity. Vaibhav failed to perform well in the three matches. A source close to the selectors said that since Vaibhav was given the opportunity, he should have been included in the final match as well. Playing Sanju again in the next match was a poor decision.”
Sooryavanshi had been touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket ever since he made his IPL debut and soon after became the youngest player to smash a century in league history. That, as it turned out, was only the beginning. Sooryavanshi went on to dominate bowling attacks throughout the year, scoring centuries in England, Australia and South Africa while starring in India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph.
His stocks continued to rise, and after smashing tons in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Sooryavanshi won the Orange Cap in IPL 2025, scoring 776 runs and breaking several six-hitting records.
Hence, it was only a matter of time before Sooryavanshi was picked. The moment arrived when the BCCI selection committee sat down to select the squads for the England and Ireland tours. Sooryavanshi’s performances made his case impossible to ignore, and he eventually earned his India cap at Old Trafford.
No rift between Gambhir and Agarkar
As India suffered a 0-4 defeat in the T20Is against England, former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik suggested there may have been some differences in approach between Agarkar and Gambhir. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru mentor and batting coach pointed towards a ‘bit of friction’ between the chief selector and head coach, highlighting the contrast between Agarkar’s long-term vision and Gambhir’s focus on immediate results. However, the Jagran report has claimed that there’s no disconnect between their plans.
“Former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, mentor of Royal Challengers Bangalore, said on a show in England that Agarkar and Gambhir have different views, but people close to them denied this. Sources said that Gambhir and Agarkar talk twice a day. It’s certainly true that the two are upset with the other two selectors for being overly active. They are trying to convince the authorities that they have improved team selection,” the report claimed.
“However, he is avoiding taking responsibility for losing six of the last seven matches because if he is responsible for the good performances, why should Gambhir be held responsible for the poor ones? The head coach and selectors clearly disagreed on not including Sanju in the squad announced for the Zimbabwe tour.”
