'Let Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play the last one' - Abhishek Nayar’s blunt remark after 3rd T20I between India and West Indies

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has remained on the bench through the first three T20Is of India's five-match series against West Indies in October 2026. The 15-year-old opening batter, who made his T20I debut on July 4, 2026, against England, has featured in eight T20I matches and scored 246 runs at an average of 30.75, including two half-centuries with a best score of 81. Sanju Samson has continued at the top of the order across the first three matches, keeping Sooryavanshi out of the playing XI.

Abhishek Nayar, the former assistant coach, has offered a perspective on how India should manage the remainder of the series. Nayar suggested that India should prioritise securing a commanding position in the five-match contest before considering opportunities for the younger player. The series is scheduled across five venues: Lucknow, Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, with the fourth T20I set for Hyderabad on Wednesday, October 14.

"I would want India to go 3-1 up, and for the last game, Suryavanshi plays. So keep it simple: Go 3-1 up, wrap the series up, and let Suryavanshi play the last one," Nayar said on Star Sports.

Sooryavanshi's recent form at the Asian Games 2026 included scores of 38 and 15, where he opened the batting alongside Abhishek Sharma while Samson batted at number three. Despite his performances in that tournament, the teenager has not featured in the West Indies T20Is so far. Nayar's suggestion reflects a pragmatic approach to squad rotation, allowing India to secure the series before blooding the young talent in a dead-rubber match.

how have Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma performed vs West Indies so far?

Abhishek Sharma was dismissed in the 20s after getting off to flying starts. However, in the third T20I, he slammed a fantastic 69 off just 30 balls under pressure. On the other hand, Samson registered scores of 11 and 3 in the first and third T20Is, respectively. However, in the second game, he smashed 82 runs off just 41 balls in phenomenal batting conditions.