Former Indian spinner Murali Kartik has shared his views on the teen batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not getting a chance in the just-concluded five-match T20I series against the West Indies at home, which ended 2-2.
Speaking to a select group of reporters on Sony Sports Network, Kartik asserted that the current opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson has been inconsistent, but they won games for the national team.
“I am not somebody who makes a change for the sake of it. I know change is constant, but change for the right reasons. There has to be a reason why there is a change. So, when it comes to the opening duo in India, I know they are a bit inconsistent, but that is what has won games for you,” said Kartik.
“We have seen the quality of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, both of them are sitting right up there. Then you’ve got Ishan Kishan, who’s your number two, number one players out there, so it’s very difficult to make the change.”
Further, Kartik drew a parallel with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s situation in white-ball cricket, questioning whether an established player should be dropped merely to make room for another talented youngster. He emphasised that the team management must handle Sooryavanshi’s situation fairly by communicating the reasons behind his exclusion and ensuring he remains prepared for his opportunity.
“Yes, we get excited because he’s an exciting talent. We are not taking anything away, but at the end of the day, it’s like Yashasvi Jaiswal in white-ball cricket. Do you make the change just for the sake of it, just to knock somebody off?”
“So, at that point of time, you want the second guy who’s waiting. The guy waiting behind the door, ready to come out and say, ‘listen, I’m there.'”
“And that’s exactly how it should be handled, rather than saying, oh, we like him, people want to see him, so let’s bring him in. No, that’s being unfair on the guys who are already there,” said Kartik.
“Even if you have to give them the harsh truth, it’s better to give it to them, because you take it on your chin. You might not like it; it’s not palatable for a while, but it is what it is. You have to deal with it and move on,” he noted.
“I think that is the best way to go about things. Because Shreyas has spoken about it, Gautam has spoken about it, I’m pretty sure they’re having the right word with Sooryavanshi, because he’s there. Nobody is saying that he’s not there. It’s just that sometimes when the others are doing well, you cannot. It is unfortunate, but it is what it is,” he concluded.
