India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has opined that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was ready to debut from the time he joined Indian team. Sooryavanshi made his T20I debut in the second game of the series and became the youngest Indian to make his International debut since Sachin Tendulkar did so back in 1989.
The youngster didn’t have a great debut as he was dismissed after scoring 14 runs off 10 balls. The left-hander was stumped by Jos Buttler on the bowling of Will Jacks.
Sooryavanshi had received his T20I call-up after scoring 776 runs in 16 matches of IPL 2026 at a blistering strike rate of 237.30 for Rajasthan Royals.
“He was set to debut from the point he came into the team; there is no such thing that he was ready (for his debut only) in the last match,” Kotak told reporters on the eve of the third T20I against England.
“For us, it was all about his game, his instincts and the way he plays, and the way he has played all along to get till this point, he should continue playing that.” “I do not think there were any precise instructions (that he’s been given) to do this, or do that,” Kotak added.
Meanwhile, India has lost three out of their last four T20I games, with one ending in no result due to rain. Kotak admitted they need to get better in all three departments of the game if they want to win the next T20 World Cup.
“See, our attempt is to improve in all three (departments); batting, bowling, and fielding. (From) the last World Cup which we won, the plan is that if the next World Cup comes in next two years, then how can we reach the next level from this? Because all other teams will also try to get better. In the last two years, we haven’t lost a single series. We won the (T20) World Cup, we won the Asia Cup T20. (But) after losing two (three) matches, so many people have said ‘they are losing now’,” Kotak said.
“It is (the nature of the) game. Sometimes, when there is a transition — the captain has changed, Hardik is not there, (and) you are trying to introduce 3-4 young players — even then, it should not happen, but such things can happen. The Indian team’s efforts remain the same. Everyone has their limitations, but we always try that (to improve) in batting, bowling, and fielding. If we are looking at winning the next World Cup, we will have to get better. We have to do better than what we have done in the last World Cup,” Kotak said.
The third T20I between England and India will be played at Nottingham on Tuesday.
