Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the enigma that everyone wants to see explode at the international level. The 15-year-old has been in the headlines for the past few months, and now he finds himself being part of the Indian squad playing Ireland later today at Stormont, Belfast, in the first T20I.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have to wait his turn. (Sri Lanka Cricket)But the big question as of now is: will he make his India debut today? There's a very good chance he won't. Reason? It's very simple. He is an out-and-out opener, and it's highly unlikely he is going to be preferred over one of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Team India last played a T20I on March 8 earlier this year. It was the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, in which both Sharma and Samson played great cricket to help the co-hosts win. It's logical if they are itching to get back to the thick of things.Also Read: India coach keeps Vaibhav Sooryavanshi debut card close to chest, warns: 'Everyone must wait their turn'The only condition that can pave the way for Sooryavanshi is injury or illness to one of them. Sooryavanshi has been the biggest cricketing name in the country in the past few months. His brilliance in the Indian Premier League (776 runs and 72 sixes in 16 games for Rajasthan Royals) has left people astounded, and then recently in the 50-overs tri-series final in Sri Lanka, Sooryavanshi scored the fastest List A fifty, off just 11 balls. He eventually got out for 94 off 29 balls. At one time, he threatened to set a new record for the fastest century too.The kind of buzz he has created, it is not surprising at all that everyone wants him to make his India debut today. It won't be wrong to say, even at the expense of Sharma or Samson. But that's not how things operate in the Indian team set-up. There has to be some strong ground for his inclusion. Both openers are hale and hearty, and both must be really looking forward to picking up where they had left off against New Zealand three and a half months back. In the IPL, they looked in great touch too.England T20Is more likely!There is no way the team management, headed by Gautam Gambhir, would risk hurting their current openers just to facilitate Sooryavanshi. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak kind of made it clear on the eve of the match that one has to go through a process before one makes their debut for India. That everyone had to wait their turn.The second and last game of the series is on Sunday at the same venue. Sooryavanshi might not get any chance there either. However, his chances would be higher than they are for today's game. India will then fly to England for a five-T20I series starting early next month. And that's where Sooryavanshi will play at some point because one of the regular openers might be rested. Every time one of them is rested, Sooryavanshi would be in as a replacement. Plus, by then he would have adapted to the new atmosphere to some extent.Sooryavanshi and his big legion of fans, everyone has to be patient. 20 years ago or even a couple of years ago, he would have walked straight into the playing XI, but the current team is spoilt for choice. At some point it will happen, though not today, in all likelihood.
Waiting game begins: Only injury or irrational call will see Vaibhav Sooryavanshi make India debut in 1st Ireland T20I
There are no reasons for Gautam Gambhir and new captain Shreyas Iyer to choose Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of one of the team’s regular openers. | Cricket














