Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has revealed that the teen batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should wait for his opportunity after not being included in the XI across all three games against Afghanistan in Delhi.
Speaking at the post-match press conference after India’s 3-0 T20I series win over Afghanistan, Gambhir asserted that senior players have done exceedingly well and they cannot be overlooked despite Sooryavanshi performing well.
” From Vaibhav’s point of view, it is again a very clear conversation that he has to wait for his opportunity. We know the kind of talent he has. We know what he can do. But again, someone who has done extremely well over a period of years obviously will always be ahead of someone who has got into the team. Whenever he gets that chance, you will get a longer run as well,” Gambhir said.
“And that is what Indian cricket is all about. We want competition, we want that talent in the dressing room. But sometimes that’s how cricket goes. Whether it is a 15-year-old or a 30-year-old, you have to wait for opportunity,” he added.
Notably, Samson was dropped for three games on the recent England tour, with Sooryavanshi taking his spot in the XI. Also, Sooryavanshi was slotted for the three-game Zimbabwe series as Samson was rested. Speaking on the same, Gambhir revealed that dropping Samson from the XI was the toughest decision in his coaching career.
“I think Samson showed what he is capable of. Someone doesn’t become Player of The Tournament in the World Cup without having talent, so he has done enough. Obviously, it was tough – probably the toughest decision I have taken in my coaching career, was leaving him out of that England series because of the way he had performed before that,” he concluded.
