Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:05pm on 01 Nov 2026,Sunday Sports
India head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the team's decision to leave teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out of the playing XI for the fifth and final T20I against New Zealand on November 1. Despite India securing an unassailable 3-1 series lead, the 15-year-old missed another opportunity. Gambhir stated that his responsibility was to make the right decisions rather than popular ones, dismissing criticism and social media pressure. He also emphasised that players who have performed consistently over a longer period deserve extended opportunities. Sooryavanshi featured in only two matches, scoring 49 runs, including a quickfire 45. (PC: PTI)
