Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has expressed concern over young cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi not getting an opportunity in the Indian T20 team. He believes that the presence of established top-order batters makes it difficult for the 15-year-old to secure a spot in the playing XI.
Suryavanshi is part of the squad for the upcoming five-match T20 series against New Zealand, which begins on November 22. However, he did not get a chance to play a single match during the recently concluded series against the West Indies, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Chopra states that the primary reason for keeping Vaibhav out of the playing XI is a lack of available slots, rather than any questions regarding his ability. He suggested rotating the top-order batters to provide an opportunity for Suryavanshi, though he acknowledged that this idea has not received much support.
Lack of space in Team India
Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former Indian batter was asked whether Vaibhav Suryavanshi should be given a spot in the team, considering Tilak Varma’s current form. Chopra remarked, Vaibhav Suryavanshi isn't getting opportunities because there simply isn't any space for him.
In whose place would you play him? Honestly, he could only potentially replace Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, or Ishan Kishan." He added, "When three players are performing well, you can't just suddenly hand an opportunity to someone else.
I know it’s heartbreaking, but there’s no other way. Not everyone agrees with the approach I’m suggesting you could try a rotation policy. Give all four of them a chance through rotation.
Suggestion to play in the Ranji Trophy
Chopra also argued that if Suryavanshi is to remain on the bench for the entire series, there is little point in keeping him in the squad. In such a scenario, he believes the young player should be released to participate in the Ranji Trophy. Young Suryavanshi has had a strong T20 career so far.
In eight matches, he has scored 246 runs at a strike rate of over 186, including two half-centuries. However, despite these impressive numbers, he is not receiving consistent opportunities within the current international setup, as more experienced players like Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma are being preferred for the top order.
Defending Tilak Varma
Chopra also came to the defense of Tilak Varma. He disagreed with the suggestion that the Indian vice-captain is underperforming and should make way for Suryavanshi.
Aakash Chopra stated, "If you claim that Tilak Varma isn't performing at all, that’s not quite accurate. Tilak Varma scored two centuries while batting at number 3. Subsequently, he sustained an injury, which caused some issues leading up to the World Cup.
The former opener highlighted Tilak’s contributions in the middle and lower-middle order. He argued that his recent performances should not be overlooked simply because he hasn't always batted in his preferred position.
Chopra added, "The World Cup didn't start well, but since then taking on the role of a finisher he has performed effectively, whether you look at his displays in the Asian Games or more recently. The reality is that he has been doing a very good job in the middle and lower-middle order. Therefore, I don't believe it is fair to target Tilak Varma with such criticism.
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