Vaibhav Sooryavanshi To Play 2nd T20I Against New Zealand? India's Batting Coach Drops Big Hint

India's number three batter Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the second T20I against New Zealand, and that opens the door for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been warming the bench for quite a long time now. The 15-year-old was the Player of the Series in the T20Is against Zimbabwe and then played the Asian Games semi-final and final for India. However, India opted to leave Sooryavanshi out of the playing XI during the five-match T20I series against West Indies that followed. The trend continued as the teenager also warmed the bench during the first T20I against New Zealand.

Sooryavanshi might get a chance in the second match against New Zealand as Kishan is set to miss the game. While speaking at the pre-match press conference, India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak hinted that the teenager might get an opportunity. He made the remark before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Kishan would miss the game.

"If Ishan doesn't play, unless he recovers completely, which the medical team will advise, Vaibhav could definitely step in for him. He is one of the strongest contenders," the coach said.

Kotak believes the hype surrounding Sooryavanshi and calls for his inclusion in the playing XI have not been beneficial for either the youngster or the team, stressing that the left-handed batter needs time to develop despite his exceptional talent.

He said Sooryavanshi has the backing of the team management, but selection decisions cannot be based on popularity.

"I felt that at the start, there was a lot of hype that 'he has to play'. I genuinely felt that wasn't good for the player either. Just a 15-16-year-old boy, and everyone saying 'he should play' and 'he isn't being picked' and so on. He is too young. It's something I can't control, but it's sad. And it's sad for the other openers too, who are performing but people are saying 'why is he playing'," Kotak said.

The teenager made his T20I debut in early July following an impressive Player-of-the-Tournament performance in IPL 2026, but has featured in only seven of India's 19 matches since then. India have generally preferred Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Kishan in the top three.

Kotak said Sooryavanshi has handled the situation maturely and understands the performances of his teammates even as he waits for his opportunity.

(With agency inputs)

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