Former Indian spinner Murali Kartik questioned the team’s decision to bat Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at one drop in the second T20I against New Zealand. Kartik noted that the youngster is at his best when he opens the innings for the team.
Sooryavanshi was added to India’s playing XI at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch on Saturday after Ishan Kishan was ruled out with a groin niggle.
However, Sooryavanshi struggled to get going while batting at one drop. The youngster could only manage four runs off eight balls and was also dropped once.
“I was repeatedly saying this, even before the match started, especially before our batting, when you are playing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, where is he at his best? He is good as an opener,” Kartik said while speaking on Sony Sports.
“You have put him in the middle order. He hasn’t played there; he is a young kid and he has only batted in one way. This is exactly why you have experienced players, so they can play different roles,” Kartik said.
Kartik said Sooryavanshi should have opened the innings for India on Saturday.
“In my opinion today, although they won the match, which is a different matter, if you are playing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he should have opened today,” Kartik said.
On the other hand, former Indian Test opener Sadagoppan Ramesh also said Sooryavanshi should open the innings for India.
“He should have opened. As a youngster, as soon as the management told him that he would bat at No.3, he would have panicked. He played only because Ishan Kishan was injured. Though it wasn’t wrong of the management not to break the opening combination, Suryavanshi doesn’t have the experience at No.3. His strength is batting at 0/0 with the anticipation of whether he’s going to hit a six or four off his first delivery,” Sadagoppan Ramesh said on his Instagram channel.
The third T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Hnry Stadium, Wellington on Tuesday.
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