Vaibhav Suryavanshi fails at No. 3 as former players question team management

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 15-year-old batting star of the Indian cricket team, is struggling to secure his place in the T20 side. The opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson is already settled, so Vaibhav often has to sit on the bench.

Because of Ishan Kishan's hamstring injury, Vaibhav was included in the playing XI for the second T20 against New Zealand. But the team management did not send him out to open the innings and instead used him at No. 3. In the new slot Vaibhav returned to the pavilion after scoring just 4, and the change in his batting order has revived debate.

Vaibhav's real strength lies in his fearless, aggressive style, which is at its most dangerous in the Powerplay. Whether it is the fastest IPL century by an Indian (35 balls) or the historic 175 off 80 balls in the final of the 2026 Under-19 World Cup, he produced all these memorable performances as an opener. Batting at No. 3 brings the pressure of adapting to the situation, which can affect his natural aggression. Taking advantage of the fielding restrictions in the Powerplay is Vaibhav's greatest strength.

Former cricketers have raised serious questions about the team management's experiment. Former India spinner Murali Karthik said, "When you play Vaibhav Suryavanshi, where does he perform best? He is excellent as an opener. You have put him in the middle order. He has not batted there before; he is a young player and has batted in only one way. That is why teams have experienced players, so that they can play different roles."

Former all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin reacted on his YouTube channel. He said, "I felt like a fish out of water. Coming to the crease in the sixth over is not his natural game." He added, "If they are going to play with this combination, I think Vaibhav should not bat at No. 3, but it is what it is, Vaibhav missed an opportunity."

Both Ashwin and Karthik are of the view that an experienced batter such as Sanju Samson could have been sent in at No. 3. Vaibhav and Abhishek had opened the innings at the Asian Games, and the same could have been done here. They also say that had the openers put on a big partnership, Vaibhav, coming in at No. 3, would not have got the chance to stay aggressive in the first six overs.