'If he's extra special, then what about the other five players?' - Dinesh Karthik backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's squad role

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old left-handed batter, became India's youngest international debutant when he played his first T20I on July 4, 2026, against England, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record as the youngest debutant for the Men in Blue. His early international career has featured contrasting performances, from struggles during the England tour to an impressive comeback in Zimbabwe.

The young opener remains in India's squad for the New Zealand tour despite not featuring in the playing XI for the first T20I on October 22, 2026, and the five previous T20Is against the West Indies.

A section of fans believe that it is better for Sooryavanshi to play domestic cricket instead of warming the bench in the Indian team. However, Dinesh Karthik dismissed this notion, saying that if Sooryavanshi is sent back home to play domestic cricket, then the same applies for the other players warming the bench in the Indian setup.

"If players not playing feel it's better to play domestic cricket instead of warming the bench, there will only be 11 touring always. So that's not going to happen. If you say Vaibhav shouldn't be there when he's not part of the 11 because he's extra special, then what about the other five players? Why aren't they so good that they can't be sent home to play domestic cricket? There is no end to it," Karthik said ahead of the first T20I between India and New Zealand during the Cricbuzz pre-match show.

Why does Sooryavanshi remain in the squad?

Karthik elaborated on the role of backup players in limited-overs cricket. He noted that Sooryavanshi serves as a backup option for the opening positions and for Ishan Kishan, making his presence essential for squad depth during tours. The former India wicketkeeper-batter highlighted the difference between Test cricket and limited-overs formats when it comes to squad management.

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"It's best to pick the best 16, and if anything happens to the openers or Ishan Kishan, Vaibhav will come in. He's a backup option, and that's a legitimate part of the squad. Now, if it's a Test match in India over five days, a lot of times they send players to play domestic cricket. But in T20Is and ODIs, that's not possible, especially when you are traveling," Karthik said.