Sanju Samson To Make Way For Vaibhav Sooryavanshi? Tough Call For India Ahead Of 1st T20I vs Afghanistan

By Suresh

Sanju Samson vs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: The Top-Order Dilemma Before 1st T20I India's management faces a genuine puzzle ahead of Sunday's opening T20I vs Afghanistan—do you bank on the boy wonder Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fearless aggression, or trust Sanju Samson's proven flair and experience? The 15-year-old made headlines in England, getting the nod over Samson, though he eventually ceded his spot once the senior returned. Samson-Abhishek Sharma have formed a steadier pair, but the choice here isn't clear-cut. Net sessions Friday told an interesting story: Samson looked notably more comfortable at the crease, while Sooryavanshi received a hands-on masterclass from Jasprit Bumrah on handling movement off the surface. Perhaps the youngster simply needed time to settle after three back-to-back red-ball games. Here's the twist—against Afghanistan's pace attack, none of their bowlers come close to Bumrah's quality. Their speed could perfectly suit Sooryavanshi's minimal footwork and stand-and-deliver approach. Dropping Samson after just three failures in such a high-risk format felt harsh, yet the Sooryavanshi wave had grown too loud to ignore—despite the management's vow to stay insulated from outside noise. A potential escape route exists: if Ishan Kishan's back injury (scared during Friday's net) rules him out, both Sooryavanshi and Samson could play. Kishan, fresh off a stellar Duleep Trophy final (270 and 80), wouldn't want to miss the one format where he's an India regular. For the Asian Games squad, three matches against a full-strength Afghanistan—boasting Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, Mujeeb ur Rahman's spin trio—is ideal preparation. Add the seam threat of Farooqi and Naveen ul Haq, plus all-rounders Naib and Omarzai, and the 'tired' Feroz Shah Kotla track could bite if it offers bowler assistance after the month-long DPL. Top-order aside, the spinners will be the other talking point. Gambhir loves multi-skilled players, so Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are expected in the XI. The real question: third specialist spinner Varun Chakravarthy, or seamer Yash Thakur? Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are automatic picks, alongside allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. Let's see Gambhir and Shreyas Iyer hand both Samson and Sooryavanshi a fair go before finalizing the Asian Games XI in Japan. Outlook: India's top-order choice remains the key question, but with Afghanistan's spin-heavy attack, expect the spinners to play a pivotal role. Stay tuned for Sunday! Source: NDTV Sports