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Abhishek Nayar suggests bowling change to fit Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into India's XI

India’s five-match T20I series against the West Indies has reignited discussions around the selection of 15-year-old left-handed batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who remains on the bench after two matches without a debut. The series, beginning October 6, 2026, in Lucknow under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, has seen Sooryavanshi’s inclusion spark tactical debates, particularly as the final match approaches in Bengaluru.

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has proposed a strategic overhaul of the bowling lineup rather than altering the batting order to accommodate Sooryavanshi, arguing the young opener should bat at the top if selected. Nayar suggested replacing Naman Dhir with Kuldeep Yadav and shifting Nitish Kumar Reddy up a position, followed by Axar Patel, to preserve the middle order’s structure while integrating Sooryavanshi naturally.

The fitness of fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who suffered a shoulder injury during the series, also looms large over the final match’s bowling attack composition, with his recovery status dictating the team’s attacking options.

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