Vaibhav SooryavanshiIndia’s first three outings produced scores of 14, 13 and 15. That’s 42 runs off 25 balls. The results may not have been eye-catching, as India lost to England, but the bigger picture was never just about numbers. It was about the moment itself. Sooryavanshi broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record by becoming the youngest cricketer to represent the country, a moment that world cricket had been waiting for ever since he captured the imagination of the audience.
However, a report claims that Sooryavanshi was not originally on the list to debut in Manchester. In fact, he was reportedly not expected to feature until the last match of the T20I leg. A report by Dainik Jagran claimed that both head recruiters Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautama Gambhir They were in favor of Sanju Samson opening alongside Abhishek Sharma regardless of the results, but that the plan changed due to “indirect pressure”.
“Fifteen-year-old Sooryavanshi, who won the Orange Cap for scoring over 700 runs in the IPL, was selected by the selectors for the tours of Ireland and England, but Sanju was ready to play in the first six matches. If Sanju did not perform well in those six matches, Vaibhav would get a chance in the final match, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar and Gambhir were on the same page,” the report states.
“Despite Sanju’s poor performance in the two matches against Ireland and the first T20I against England, it was clear that he would play in the second T20I as well. However, due to indirect pressure, Vaibhav was given the opportunity. Vaibhav did not perform well in the three matches. A source close to the selectors said that since Vaibhav was given the opportunity, he should have been included in the final match as well. Playing against Sanju again in the next match was a “bad decision.”
Sooryavanshi had been touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket ever since he made his IPL debut and soon after became the youngest player to smash a century in the league’s history. As it turned out, that was just the beginning. Sooryavanshi dominated the bowling attacks throughout the year, scoring centuries in England, Australia and South Africa while starring in India’s U-19 World Cup triumph.
His stock continued to rise, and after smashing tons in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Sooryavanshi won the Orange Cap in IPL 2025, scoring 776 runs and breaking several six-hitter records.
Therefore, it was only a matter of time before Sooryavanshi was chosen. The time came when the BCCI selection committee sat down to select the squads for the tours of England and Ireland. Sooryavanshi’s performances made his case impossible to ignore, and he eventually won his India cap at Old Trafford.
There is no rift between Gambhir and Agarkar
When India suffered a 0-4 defeat in the T20Is against England, former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik suggested that there might have been some differences in approach between Agarkar and Gambhir. The mentor and batting coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru pointed towards a ‘a little friction‘ between the chief selector and the head coach, highlighting the contrast between Agarkar’s long-term vision and Gambhir’s focus on immediate results. However, the Jagran report states that there is no disconnect between their plans.
“Former goalkeeper Dinesh KarthikRoyal Challengers Bangalore mentor, said at a program in England that Agarkar and Gambhir have different views, but people close to them denied it. Sources said Gambhir and Agarkar talk twice a day. It is true that both are upset with the other two selectors for being too active. “They are trying to convince authorities that they have improved equipment selection,” the report states.
“However, he is avoiding taking responsibility for losing six of the last seven matches because if he is responsible for the good performances, why should Gambhir be held responsible for the bad ones? The head coach and selectors clearly did not agree to not include Sanju in the squad announced for the Zimbabwe tour.”
