"Let Him Serve The Team": On Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Debut Delay, R Ashwin Delivers Huge Verdict

Former Indian cricket team spinner R Ashwin supported the team management's decision to not hand Vaibhav Sooryavanshi his senior debut during the 1st T20I match against Ireland on Friday. The team went with the usual openers - Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson - despite increasing chatter over Sooryavanshi's inclusion. Ashwin urged the fans to be patient with the youngster's development and said that he should not be rushed into the playing XI. He poined out that the youngster can learn a lot from the sidelines before making his debut. India had a disappointing outing as they lost by 34 runs.

"Please, everyone, think about the game with some wisdom. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma opened together, and Sanju batted very well in the World Cup. If you bench one of them to play Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, what is the point of calling this a team game?" he said on Youtube channel Ash Ki Baat.

"I know we all want to see Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play. We are all fans, and he is a great entertainer. But not at any cost. There is value in sitting outside and watching the game too. Let him serve the team, help out, even bring water. There is a lot to learn from that experience. A great player doesn't become one overnight. Once Vaibhav starts playing, he might never be dropped it could happen, just as it did with Sachin Tendulkar. But if he spends some time outside the playing XI first, he will get empathy and a better understanding of the team environment. He has a long and illustrious career ahead of him. Sitting outside is also a role," Ashwin added.

Abhishek Sharma attributed India's defeat to Ireland to the team's inability to adjust quickly to the playing conditions.

He said that in a tight schedule with back-to-back games, adapting fast during limited practice sessions is crucial for a strong side.

Ireland held their nerve to notch a historic first win over India in the opening match of the T20I series in Belfast on Friday. The 34-run win marks Ireland's first-ever triumph against the T20 world champions across all formats of the game.

"Its just how quickly we adapt the conditions, that's really matters as a team, because when you are playing back to back games, as a group you have to step forward and get used to the conditions, whenever you get practice sessions or probably get used to, I feel as a dominating team, you have to adapt really quick and that's what we were trying today, but unfortunately it didn't happen," Sharma told the reporters after the match.

(With ANI inputs)

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Ravichandran Ashwin Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Abhishek Sharma Sanju Samson Ireland Cricket Team India Cricket Team Ireland vs India 2026 Cricket