Why is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not in India's T20I XI? It's a question cricket-watchers perhaps ask before each fixture.
"He is really young, but the way everyone in the team management takes care of him - I keep an eye neutrally - and everyone likes him, social media likes him, team also likes him. But you can't make changes to the XI because people like him," India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said ahead of the second T20I against New Zealand. "He is very talented and I believe he has a bright, bright future ahead. So once he gets his opportunities and settles down, he will learn a lot of things."
Sooryavanshi, however, is likely to play on Saturday after Ishan Kishan sustained a right adductor strain in the first T20I. Kotak is excited by the prospect but said the hype around 15-year-old Sooryavanshi hasn't helped him or the others.
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"I felt that at the start, there was a lot of hype that 'he has to play'. I genuinely felt that wasn't good for the player also. Just a 15-16-year-old boy, and everyone saying 'he should play' and 'he isn't being picked' and so on. He is too young. It's something I can't control but it's sad. And it's sad for the other openers also, who are performing but people are saying 'why is he playing'."
In general, India have preferred the top three of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Kishan despite Sooryavanshi's presence.
"Now he is much more mature. He understood that Sanju is playing well, or Abhishek is playing well - how can they be left out," Kotak said. "The middle order is also packed. Everyone understands that but of course he wants to play. If I were in his place I would too. But he is a simple boy. It's not like he has complained or looked downcast. See, hitting ability is one thing, and the things you learn by being at this level day after day is another thing. He will learn that. This [waiting for his turn] will do a lot of good to him."
There has been the matter of keeping Sooryavanshi motivated while he waits. He made his T20I debut in early July, soon after his Player-of-the-Tournament show in IPL 2026, but has played only seven further games out of India's 19 in this period.
"What I have normally spoken to him about is discussing what shots to play when the ball moves around and things like that. But I won't tinker with his intent or the way he approaches the game unless there is a major reason for doing so," Kotak said. "He has so much ability that he doesn't really struggle. He just decides what shots to play. There are batters who choose the shots based on the merit of the delivery. There are other batters who decide what shots to play irrespective of what the ball is doing and creates that shot. Vaibhav is in the latter category. He dominates bowlers. If I see that he can do something different to certain deliveries, then we will discuss it. But yeah, he is an unbelievable talent."
Kotak: Naman Dhir is 'a power-packed player'
Another player that has excited Kotak is Naman Dhir, who is just nine matches into his international career. After slamming 24 not out off six balls in the rain-hit final T20I against West Indies in Bengaluru on October 17, he smashed 42 not out in 15 balls in the first T20I against New Zealand to take India to victory in a chase of 226.
"Actually, we know he is capable of doing and we also know that he is capable of bowling more than he has in first-class cricket or Vijay Hazare [List A] Trophy and all that," Kotak said. "Yesterday, there was Sanju, Abhishek, and Shreyas [Iyer] and Axar [Patel] too, but his role at the end was also very, very important. He is a power-packed player, he knows what is expected [of him] and he exactly does that, which is a great sign.
"In a T20 match, if there are lots of left-hand batters in the opposition, an offspinner can even bowl four overs and, depending on the situation, he can bowl one or two overs too. He is someone who can field really well and can make an impact with the bat in that finisher's role," Kotak said about Dhir.
"It is too early, but I feel he is very promising. His batting technique, the way he builds his base quickly, the power he has, he is a very exciting talent."