Photo via CricTracker

Should Sooryavanshi continue to bat at No. 3 for India?

During the second T20I between India and New Zealand on October 24, 2026, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his international debut at the No. 3 position.

Filling in for the injured Ishan Kishan, the teenager struggled to find his rhythm, scoring just four runs off eight balls before falling to Nathan Smith. The decision to shift Sooryavanshi from his usual opening role was driven by the team's desire to maintain the successful partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who had combined for 93 runs during the powerplay in the previous match.

While Sooryavanshi previously opened alongside Sharma during the 2026 Asian Games under VVS Laxman, the current management appears to favor utilizing Samson's experience in the middle order. Given Sooryavanshi's proven success as an opener during the Zimbabwe tour, questions remain regarding whether this new batting order maximizes his aggressive ball-striking potential.

Up nextCricket· 50m ago

'Sooryavanshi should've opened': Ex-India cricketer slams decision to send him at No. 3