IND vs ENG: Ravi Shastri makes a bold statement on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi India debut. Check details
Former Indian cricketer & head coach, Ravi Shastri, has reacted very critically to the management's decision of not including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the playing XI so far. He cannot believe that despite such a brilliant performance, he has not got a place in the playing XI yet. The first T20I match between India vs England ended in a no-result due to rain. Before the match, when Shastri was asked about playing Vaibhav, Shastri said that Vaibhav should have played against Ireland. Now it is not known whether he will be given a chance against England or not.
“Arrey, woh khelna chahiye tha yaar (He should have played against Ireland). It was such a slow and spongy track. He would have smacked them on the terrace, it was such a small ground. He would have taken their pants off. He should have definitely played there. Now, whether he plays in England, I’m not sure. I am not sure whether they will blame him, but give him a game as soon as possible. He has smashed everyone in the IPL. Which fast bowler did he spare? And you're making him warm the bench,” Shastri said.
"Arrey, woh khelna chahiye tha yaar!" 👀
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 1, 2026
Ravi Shastri's brutally honest take on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 💬
Watch #ENGvIND, 2nd T20I on 4th July, 6 PM onwards, LIVE on Sony Sports Network TV channels.#SonySportsNetwork #MamlaPersonalHai #ExtraaaInnings pic.twitter.com/0S9yMguEig
The management has kept Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on the bench so far, sticking instead with the regular opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Samson appears to be out of form once again; he has managed to score only 6 runs across the three matches played so far (two against Ireland and one against England), intensifying calls for Vaibhav to be included in the playing XI in his place.
Sanju's failure was a major reason for the shocking 0-2 defeat against Ireland. India had hoped for a good start from him in both the matches, but Sanju failed to do so. Even in the first T20I against England on Wednesday, he managed just 1 run off 7 balls. The second T20I between India and England will be played on July 4 at Old Trafford, Manchester. Now it remains to be seen whether Vaibhav is finally given a chance in place of Sanju in the second match or not.
So far, the management and the captain have maintained that Vaibhav will be given a chance when the time is right; however, after the Ireland series—where he really should have played—it now seems unlikely that he will get an opportunity in the series.
