Subramaniam Badrinath said that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should replace the out-of-form Sanju Samson in India's playing XI for the second T20I against England
at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday, July 4.
Sooryavanshi has been selected in the Indian team for the first time in his career. However, he didn't get to make his international debut in the two T20Is against Ireland and the one against England. In these three games, Samson has registered scores of 5, 0, and 1.
Badrinath said that Samson hasn't done anything exemplary since winning the Player of the Tournament award at the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
"Timing is very important for a player in form. He should be given a chance when he is in the form of his life. There is no use playing him when he's not in form. Confidence is everything in sports and he is high on confidence right now. So he must play. Also, let's not forget, Sanju Samson has been continuously failing since the T20 World Cup. He hasn't done anything great since the World Cup. Though I don't advocate dropping Samson, it's something to think about when an in-form Suryavanshi is sitting out," Badrinath said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Sooryavanshi won the Most Valuable Player award in the IPL this year after finishing as the highest run-getter. He also broke the record for the most sixes in a single edition of the cash-rich league.
"That makes it all the more a reason for Team India to play Vaibhav Sooryavanshi" - S Badrinath
India lost the two-match series against Ireland, and Badrinath said that there was a clear lack of intent from the batters. The former India cricketer believes that Sooryavanshi's inclusion at the top of the order could sort that issue.
"There was a lack of intent with the bat in the two losses against Ireland. That makes it all the more a reason for Team India to play Vaibhav Sooryavanshi," said Badrinath (via the aforementioned source).
