'Will Be Unfair If We Judge...': Gautam Gambhir, Shreyas Iyer Backed For Demoting Vaibhav Sooryavanshi To No. 3

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has backed the team management’s decision to send Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in at No. 3 during the second T20I against New Zealand. Kaif said the move made sense as India did not want to break the opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.

Sooryavanshi was brought into the playing XI after Ishan Kishan was ruled out due to injury. However, the youngster failed to make an impact, scoring just four runs off eight balls. While he got an opportunity during the powerplay, he appeared to struggle for timing.

Despite the quiet outing, Kaif urged people not to judge the young batter on the basis of one or two innings. He also acknowledged that batting at No. 3 is not Sooryavanshi’s natural position but felt the management had made the right call by keeping the existing opening combination intact.

Mohammad Kaif Says It Would Be Unfair To Judge Sooryavanshi

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said Sooryavanshi should be given more time before his performances are assessed. The former India batter pointed to the phase the youngster is going through and said a couple of low scores should not become the basis for judging his ability.

“It will be unfair if we judge Vaibhav by an innings or two right now, given the phase he is going through,” Kaif said.

Sooryavanshi had won the IPL Orange Cap in the last edition of the cash-rich league, but opportunities at the international level have been limited since then. He played three matches each during India’s tours of England and Zimbabwe but was left on the bench during the home series against the West Indies and Afghanistan.

Why India Sent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi At No. 3

Kaif explained that promoting Sooryavanshi to the opening position would have meant breaking up the in-form pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. He also pointed out that Ishan Kishan would need to be accommodated in the batting order once he returned to the side.

According to Kaif, changing the opening combination could have led to further changes in the batting order. Sending Sooryavanshi at No. 3 allowed India to give him an opportunity without disturbing the existing arrangement at the top.

“If you open with him and break the in-form pair of Abhishek and Samson, and then with Ishan coming back, you will have to shuffle a lot then. There will be a lot of shuffling. But by sending him at three, they did not change the batting order, which was the right decision,” he added.

Kaif Highlights Need For Flexibility In T20 Cricket

Kaif also stressed that players need to be ready to bat at different positions in T20 cricket. With teams regularly adjusting their combinations according to the opposition and match situation, flexibility becomes an important part of the format.

He cited Naman Dhir as an example while explaining why players should be prepared to take on different roles.

“This is a format where a lot of players adjust, even in different positions. Take Naman Dhir itself. That flexibility has to be there,” Kaif said.

The former India batter backed the management’s approach and said Sooryavanshi should get more opportunities to prove his ability. He also felt that the youngster’s performances would be better judged over a longer period, particularly when he gets the chance to bat in his preferred position.