India’s teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to wait for an opportunity. The talented teenager is warning the bench, as the team management prefers the opening pairing of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. While an injury to Ishan Kishan is expected to open up a slot for the 15-year-old, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has called for more patience from fans. Seeing Sooryavanshi, undoubtedly one of the finest talents in world cricket, warm the bench has led fans on social media to push for his inclusion in the playing XI. However, Kotak feels the “must play” hype over the young opener is not beneficial.
Speaking to reporters in the pre-match press conference, Kotak lauded the way the team management has handled him, despite constant social media scrutiny.
“He is young, but the way the entire team management handles him is amazing. I observe this neutrally. The public and social media love him because of his talent, and the team loves him too. But you cannot make changes to the playing XI just because people like a player. He is highly talented and has a very bright future ahead. Once he gets consistent opportunities and settles down, he will learn a lot,” Kotak said.
Sending a message to fans who keep saying Sooryavanshi “must play”, Kotak said that such hype for a teenage player is not good for his growth. He called for calm and patience as the young batter takes his first steps in his career.
“In the beginning, I felt there was a lot of hype suggesting ‘he must play, he must play.’ I genuinely felt that much hype is not good for a young player. For a 15 or 16-year-old boy, hearing everyone say he must play and then not getting a spot can be tough on his mind. He is still very young. While I cannot control the hype, it is sad. It is also unfair to other openers who are performing well when an environment is created questioning why they are playing instead. People who understand cricket should think about whether this hype actually helps the player or if it is just created for the sake of it,” said the batting coach.
Kotak admitted that the 15-year-old wants to play, but at the moment, neither Samson nor Abhishek can be dropped given their current form.
“Now, he is much more mature. He understands the dynamics. We all play cricket and see how players like Sanju and Abhishek are batting, meaning only 11 players can play. He wants to play, and if I were in his place, I would want to play too. There is nothing wrong with that. He is a very simple boy, he has never complained, and his attitude remains excellent even when he is not playing. He is working hard on his fielding, fitness, and batting, and he is constantly learning from the seniors,” Kotak asserted.
READ | Ishan Kishan Ruled Out Of 2nd T20I vs NZ, Door Opens For Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Not Struggling: Sitanshu Kotak
When asked about his training, Kotak lauded the maturity with which Sooryavanshi conducts himself on the practice field. There were suggestions that he was struggling to adapt to conditions in New Zealand; however, Kotak rubbished the rumours.
“Vaibhav has his own way of practicing. I would not say he was struggling. He likes certain things and wants to attack in a specific way. Obviously, the practice pitch, the bounce, and the match environment differ from place to place. My conversation with him was focused on the shots he can play when the ball moves from certain areas,” he said.
“His intent and the way he approaches the game are excellent. I would not want to change that unless the situation absolutely demands it. He has immense ability and does not struggle; he simply discusses and decides which shots to play. Some players play shots on merit, while others try to create shots regardless of where the ball is pitched. Vaibhav is the type of player who likes to dominate and play shots on his own terms. If we observe that he can do things differently in certain moments, we discuss it. Otherwise, he is an unbelievable talent,” the coach added.
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