MUMBAI: Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has backed teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to make his India debut in the opening T20I against England in Durham on Wednesday, saying the 15-year-old could provide the spark India desperately needs after their disappointing 0-2 series defeat to Ireland.India’s batting unit struggled throughout the Ireland series under new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, prompting calls for changes ahead of the five-match series against England. Gavaskar believes Sooryavanshi’s unpredictability could work in India’s favour.“I’m hoping that Sooryavanshi plays the first game because it will be the start of a new series and he gets the team off to a flying start. It’s the best way to recover from the series loss against Ireland,” Gavaskar said.He admitted fitting Sooryavanshi into the playing XI would be a challenge given the performances of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, but argued that England’s lack of familiarity with the youngster could be a decisive factor.“So, if he gets going, he can take the game away and I think that is what India needs at this particular point of time, after this loss, is for somebody to make the impact straight away. So, the host nation England is put on the backfoot straight away,” Gavaskar added.
Sunil Gavaskar backs Iyer, says patience is needed
Despite Shreyas Iyer’s poor start as India’s T20I captain, Gavaskar urged patience, pointing out that adapting to leadership at the international level takes time.“I think with any new relationship, there will always be just a little time taken for both to understand the support staff and the playing staff to understand what is expected of them,” he said.“Shreyas Iyer’s leadership has been proven over the years in the T20 format. We have seen him win trophies, win titles and get teams into the knockouts and get teams into the final.”Gavaskar also felt India’s batters needed to adapt better to conditions after struggling on seamer-friendly pitches in Belfast.“In any form of the game and practically in any sport, I think you play the situation,” he said, adding that shot selection and decision-making had let India down in Ireland.Gavaskar also backed Rohit Sharma to silence doubts over his future during the upcoming ODI series against England.“So, I think England is a very good platform for him to show that even a year-and-a-half down the road, he’ll be there opening the batting for India,” he said.On England pacer Jofra Archer, Gavaskar said his impact often depended on his mindset on the day.“He is a top class bowler and you know, if he’s, if I might say, if I might use the word, if he’s in the mood, he can cause problems for anybody,” he said.Gavaskar added that Ben Stokes’ retirement did not surprise him entirely, although he had expected the England all-rounder to step away at the end of the home season rather than immediately.(Watch India Tour of England 2026, England vs India, 1st T20I on July 1, 2026, from 10:00 PM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada) Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD, Sony MAX).
