Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has remained absent from India's T20I XI despite his exceptional talent, a selection question that arises before nearly every fixture. The 15-year-old made his T20I debut on July 4, 2026, becoming the youngest player to represent the Indian team at 15 years and 99 days old, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's 36-year-old record.
Since that debut, Sooryavanshi has featured in only seven of India's 19 T20I matches during the period, with the team preferring Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan in the top three. Ahead of the second T20I against New Zealand, India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the young opener's selection.
Kotak acknowledged Sooryavanshi's talent and the widespread support he has received from team management, social media and the public. However, the coach emphasised that selection decisions cannot be driven by external pressure or popularity. Sooryavanshi was likely to feature on Saturday after Ishan Kishan sustained a right adductor strain in the first T20I, presenting an opportunity for the teenager to prove himself at the highest level.
"He is really young, but the way everyone in the team management takes care of him - I keep an eye neutrally - and everyone likes him, social media likes him, team also likes him. But you can't make changes to the XI because people like him," Kotak was quoted as saying by Cricinfo.
Why has the hype affected Sooryavanshi and other openers?
The excessive hype surrounding Sooryavanshi's selection has created an unfair environment for both the young batter and his competitors. Kotak expressed concern that the constant media and social media narrative about whether Sooryavanshi should play has placed unnecessary pressure on a teenager still adjusting to international cricket.
"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 also. Just a 15-16-year-old boy, and everyone saying 'he should play' and 'he isn't being picked' and so on," Kotak said.
"He is too young. It's something I can't control but it's sad. And it's sad for the other openers also, who are performing but people are saying 'why is he playing," he added.
How does Kotak approach coaching Sooryavanshi?
Sooryavanshi's maturity and understanding of the team's dynamics have improved significantly since his debut. The young opener has come to recognise that established performers like Samson and Sharma cannot be dropped simply to accommodate his ambitions. Kotak noted that Sooryavanshi has accepted his role in the squad with professionalism and patience.
"Now he is much more mature. He understood that Sanju is playing well, or Abhishek is playing well - how can they be left out," Kotak said.
Kotak's coaching approach with Sooryavanshi focuses on technical refinement rather than altering the teenager's instincts and aggressive approach. The batting coach has discussed specific shot selection and how to handle moving deliveries, but remains committed to preserving the young opener's inherent strengths and dominant playing style.
"What I have normally spoken to him about is discussing what shots to play when the ball moves around and things like that. But I won't tinker with his intent or the way he approaches the game unless there is a major reason for doing so," he concluded.
