Tag: INDvsENG

From IPL Sensation to International Test: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Has a Point to Prove After Tough UK Debut

After having a dream run during IPL 2026, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had become the youngest Indian cricketer to make his international debut at just 15 years of age in the 2nd T20I against England last month.

His aggressive strokeplay, along with his ability to take the bowlers to the cleaners, helped him become an emerging talent in world cricket, and even though speculation was rife that his selection was forced, it wasn’t surprising that the selectors directly picked him for the national team so soon.

Even after putting up brilliant performances during the IPL, his performance during the T20I series against England showed that playing consistently in franchise cricket is quite different from playing in international cricket.

He had registered three low scores in his first international T20I series and was also replaced by Sanju Samson during the last T20I against the Harry Brook-led side, but this should not raise any concern.

England exposed the biggest challenge facing India’s newest sensation

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi entered the T20I series against England with lots of expectations after having a good IPL season.

During IPL 2026, he won awards like the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, and Emerging Player as he scored 776 runs in 16 matches at a staggering strike rate of 237 and smashed 72 sixes. And that’s why people were left intrigued after he was selected in India’s T20I team.

But while playing in England, the youngster was supposed to face balls that moved both in the air and off the surface, as pacers like Jofra Archer used short balls against him and were successful. The pitches in England were quite different from the ones used in India during the IPL.

He registered scores of 13, 14, and 15, making his tally just 42 runs in three matches at an average of 14. But what was even more concerning than his inconsistent performances was the manner in which he got out. He couldn’t face more than 10 balls during an innings and couldn’t repeat his heroics from the IPL form.

International cricket demands more than fearless hitting

One of the biggest reasons Sooryavanshi performed well in the IPL this year was his ability to smash runs from the first ball.

During IPL 2025, he smashed Shardul Thakur for a first-ball six during his debut IPL season while representing Rajasthan Royals. Then he smashed first-ball sixes against bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins, and Lungi Ngidi during IPL 2026.

In his debut T20I match, he did try to go big by smashing a sweep shot on the first ball he played against Jofra Archer.

But the bouncy pitches in England and the formidable bowling attack didn’t let the youngster play his shots freely.

Zimbabwe offers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a second taste of international cricket

If he had a hard time during the T20I series against England as a debutant, then the pitches in Zimbabwe will look more balanced.

Soorvanshi performed well during India’s ICC U19 World Cup 2026 winning campaign at the same venue, but the surface will be quite different from the ones used in England.

Since Sanju Samson is not part of the Indian team for the T20I series against Zimbabwe, the youngster will be the preferred opener along with Abhishek Sharma. If he performs well during the three matches, he can strengthen his position in the team and replace Samson.

The pacers will get a lot of help from the pitch in Harare as it will produce decent pace. The average first innings total here is 180 runs, where Sooryavanshi will try to succeed against the dangerous Blessing Muzarabani’s extra bounce, and if Sikandar Raza bowls off-spin during the powerplay.

Why Rohit and Kohli are Indispensable for India’s 2027 World Cup Squad

Pressure? What pressure? Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli still have it!

Speculation was rife that the third ODI between India and England, held at Lord’s on Sunday, would be Rohit Sharma’s last international match, given his performances in the series decider.

Multiple reports had said the same thing in the lead-up to the match, as there was a general belief that neither the Indian selectors nor the team management saw him as part of India’s 2027 ODI World Cup team. But Rohit, who has not won this title in his illustrious career, has already made up his mind to be part of the 2027 World Cup team.

And when everything was going against him, Rohit was expected to perform with his bat, but there was no certainty that this would help him achieve his dream.

And that’s what he did. He scored a scintillating 138 off 110 balls, became the oldest Indian to hit a hundred in the 50-over format at 39, and became the first Indian to do so at Lord’s. This was his eighth hundred in the format in England.

There is no clarity on whether this knock was enough to keep him from being dropped, as the selectors want to give chances to a youngster like Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rohit could not have done much more to save his career.

It should be noted that besides skipper Shubman Gill, who scored a gritty 77 off 84 balls, the only other player who kept the team alive in the mammoth chase of 388 was Virat Kohli, who scored a brilliant 74 off 60 balls and almost took the team across the line.

Besides Rohit, Kohli is the other player whose future looks uncertain under Gautam Gambhir’s transition of the Indian team. But he remains in sublime form in this format, averaging 60 over his last 10 innings, which makes it difficult for the selectors to drop him.

Unlike Rohit, Kohli is not under too much pressure, but if he fails to perform in a few matches, his position will come under the spotlight. At the same time, this duo has also proved why they are undroppable from the side.

No substitute for Rohit and Kohli’s skills and experience. Although India lost the third ODI by 27 runs, they were still in the chase until the 45th over, when Kohli was dismissed. The visitors still needed 73 runs to win, and that did not look impossible.

But after Kohli’s dismissal, India’s middle order could not handle the pressure, and they failed to build crucial partnerships.

Kohli’s skill set probably helped him become one of the best chasers in the sport.

At the same time, Rohit has the brilliant ability to change gears quite easily once he is set. He helps the team reach the required run rate comfortably because he can smash fours easily.

This combination of skills has helped the Indian team become one of the best in this format over the last 15 years. Rohit can set the base, while Kohli can dominate in finishing a chase.

It was evident on Sunday when they went all guns blazing while chasing a mammoth target at Lord’s, smashing fours and sixes comfortably.

The Indian team will need the skill set and experience that both players have for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, considering the rest of the batting attack has not mastered the patience and skills needed to perform consistently on challenging surfaces, which produce bounce and movement, as South Africa will also have similar pitches.