Boycott the match.
That’s the sentiment among a section of Indian cricket fans after captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed that teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will not make his much-anticipated international debut in the opening T20I against Ireland despite his stellar IPL campaign. The decision has overshadowed India’s series opener in Belfast, with many supporters voicing their disappointment.
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The first T20I on Friday had generated huge anticipation following the inclusion of the 15-year-old batting prodigy in India’s squad for the UK tour, with many expecting him to make his senior debut.
“I don’t think that just to give him an opportunity, we should drop someone who has already been scoring runs. That also won’t be right. I think there is a very thin line between trying to give somebody an opportunity and being unfair to some other player,” India’s batting coach Shitanshu Kotak had said on the eve of the first T20I.
At the toss, Iyer confirmed Sooryavanshi would not feature in the XI.
“Unfortunately no,” he said when asked about the teenager’s debut. “He is a gun player. But, we have experience in the team. And the seniors have done brilliantly in the past couple of series for India. So, we are backing the majority of them who have done absolutely marvelously. I think he will get his opportunity when the time comes. But, for now, we are going with three genuine seamers, one all-rounder and two spinners.”
Sooryavanshi earned his maiden India call-up after a sensational IPL campaign that established him as one of the country’s brightest young batting talents. While many expected the team management to hand him an opportunity in a short bilateral series, India instead opted to reward the experienced core that played a key role in retaining the T20 World Cup title, prioritising continuity over experimentation.
SOCIAL MEDIA FURY
The decision triggered a wave of reactions on social media, with disappointed fans expressing frustration over the teenager’s omission. One user even called for supporters to boycott the match, posting: “Boycott this match. Everyone excited for Vaibhav, but he not picked in 11. Fraud Tilak play and talent like Vaibhav benched, this is a joke. Worst selection by Iyer.”
The debate soon extended beyond fans, with former England captain Michael Vaughan questioning India’s call.
“Can’t believe India haven’t picked Vaibhav Sooryavanshi… the best T20 player at the moment in the World,” Vaughan wrote on X.
However, there were also those who backed the selectors’ approach. Replying to Vaughan, one user wrote: “This is not Pakistan where players are picked just on the basis of local league matches. This is India, where talent is picked only after a certain validation of continuous performance across years.”
With one more match left in the series before the official tour of England, Sooryavanshi could still make his much-anticipated international debut if the management decides to rotate the squad for the second T20I on Sunday, June 28.
– Ends
