India weigh Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Sanju Samson for opener; injuries remain a concern

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India's Opening Dilemma: Sooryavanshi in the Spotlight

Just ahead of the 3-match T20I series against Afghanistan (starting Sunday), young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was seen dominating the optional practice session at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Alongside Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma, the 15-year-old from Bihar was the first in the nets, engaging in lengthy discussions with coaches Kotak and Gambhir—clear signs he's in contention for the first T20I.

The Selection Puzzle

Here's the tricky bit—India have a luxury problem! Shreyas Iyer opened up about the tough call between Sooryavanshi's fearless approach vs Sanju Samson's equally aggressive batting, both looking to open alongside Abhishek Sharma.

"Having all three of them is a luxury. Whoever gets the opportunity, it's for the team's benefit," said Iyer.

Interestingly, Afghanistan skipper Ibrahim Zadran has already flagged Sooryavanshi as a key threat, citing his IPL Orange Cap-winning show (776 runs).

Injury Woes Loom

Beyond the batting conundrum, the BCCI is dealing with a rising injury tally ahead of the Asian Games. Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Sundar, and Chakaravarthy are all returning from layoffs. But Iyer remains calm:

"The amount of matches players are grinding through—someone's bound to get hurt. You can't control it."

Squads Ready

India: Iyer (c), Samson (wk), Abhishek, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Sundar, Axar Patel, Bumrah, Arshdeep, Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur, Chakravarthy, Bishnoi.

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (c), Gurbaz (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb, Nabi & more.

Who do you think will open for India? Let's discuss! 🏏

Source: Times of India