- Shreyas Iyer explained dropping Sooryavanshi was a tactical team decision.
- Team sought left-right opening combination, replacing him with Samson.
- Despite changes, India lost to England, concluding a disappointing T20 tour.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Dropped: India captain Shreyas Iyer has explained the reasoning behind leaving teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out of the playing XI for the fifth and final T20I against England, a decision that sparked widespread debate among fans. Many questioned why the 15-year-old, regarded as one of India’s brightest young prospects, was dropped after making his international debut earlier in the series. However, Iyer clarified after the match that the call had nothing to do with Sooryavanshi’s performances and was instead based on the team management’s tactical plans.
Shreyas Explains Why Sooryavanshi Was Left Out
Instead of continuing with the teenage opener, India brought back experienced wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to partner Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order.
Addressing the selection decision after the match, Iyer said the team wanted a left-right opening combination that suited the conditions.
“We needed to try the best combination that would be perfect for these conditions, and we also wanted a right-hander to open with Abhishek. So, that was one of the major reasons.”
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The India captain stressed that the move was purely tactical rather than a reflection of Sooryavanshi’s form or ability.
Samson Returns But India Fall Short
Samson, who returned to the XI after missing the previous matches, was backed by the team management because of his experience in the format.
“As I mentioned earlier, we wanted to try a different combination that would be suitable for this particular game. And he’s (Samson) a gun batsman. He has won so many series for us in the past,”
Despite the change, India failed to halt England’s momentum.
The visitors struggled to match England’s imposing total and eventually suffered another defeat, completing a disappointing tour that also included a series loss to Ireland earlier in the season.
