Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has said that teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson cannot both be part of India's playing XI for the T20I series in New Zealand, and that Sooryavanshi will have to wait for his opportunity.
India named a 16-member T20I squad for the New Zealand tour on October 6, 2026, with Shreyas Iyer as captain. The five-match T20I series begins on October 22, 2026 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, as part of a multi-format tour that also includes five ODIs and two Tests running through to December 2026. Pujara backed Samson's ability to turn his form around quickly, giving his clear verdict on the opening role, stating that it would be difficult for the young Sooryavanshi to get opportunities.
"He is never out of form. The kind of player Sanju Samson has been in the T20 format, his form fluctuates. But it is always a matter of one innings. He plays one good innings, and he is back in form. Either Sanju Samson can open or Vaibhav. I don't think both can be part of the playing XI in New Zealand conditions. So, Vaibhav will have to wait, but he will get opportunities," Pujara said, speaking to JioStar.
Why does Pujara think Samson and Sooryavanshi cannot play together in New Zealand?
Pujara's reasoning centres on the demands of New Zealand conditions rather than any question of individual quality. He argued that the conditions there require India to carry additional all-rounders in the playing XI, which limits the number of specialist top-order batters the team can accommodate at any one time.
With both Samson and Sooryavanshi being primarily top-order batting options, Pujara's view is that selecting both would leave the side short of the balance needed to compete effectively in New Zealand. His preference appears to be for Samson to retain the opener's role, given the wicketkeeper-batter's experience and match-winning ability in the format.
Pujara did not suggest that Sooryavanshi lacks the ability to succeed at this level. His point was purely about team composition and the specific demands that New Zealand pitches and conditions place on a visiting side.
Could Sooryavanshi still feature during the New Zealand T20I series?
Pujara left the door open for Sooryavanshi to earn a place in the XI during the course of the series. He acknowledged that conditions or player availability could shift the equation at any point across the five matches.
"If the spot opens up for him based on conditions or players' fitness, that's fine. But both Sanju and Vaibhav cannot be in the playing XI in New Zealand," Pujara said.
The five-match format of the series gives India's team management room to rotate and experiment. With the tour also covering five ODIs and two Tests through to December 2026, the selectors have a lengthy window to assess Sooryavanshi across formats if opportunities arise in the T20I leg.
