‘It was time to throw him into the deep end’ – AB de Villiers backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India debut

Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has shared his views on the inclusion of youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a decision that has divided the cricketing fraternity.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, former England captain Michael Vaughan, and former England skipper Alastair Cook believe the left-handed batter should make his international debut against Ireland.

However, another section of experts, including Test legend Cheteshwar Pujara and former selector Saba Karim, feel that the 15-year-old’s inclusion should not come at the expense of a proven performer. Meanwhile, the Indian team management is of the opinion that Sooryavanshi must continue to earn his place by progressing through the established development pathway before making his debut.

“When will he be unleashed? I thought the Ireland series was the perfect opportunity for him to come in and get a feel for international cricket. It was unfortunate that he never got an opportunity. I beg to differ with Ryan ten Doeschate saying Sooryavanshi has to go through the process like any other player. After the IPL he had, it was time to throw him into the deep end, especially against a lower-ranked team like Ireland, to get a bit of experience,” De Villiers said on his YouTube channel.

After suffering a 2-0 defeat in the T20I series against Ireland, India national cricket team are still searching for their first win on the England tour. The opening T20I in Durham was washed out due to rain. The second T20I is scheduled to be played at Old Trafford Cricket Ground on July 4.

“There is some work to do for Team India. They need to regroup, reset, and find a method to play in the UK. It’s not easy in those conditions, where the scores are not like they are in the IPL. You don’t get to the 250s and 260s there. It is more strategic and tactical out there, where sometimes 140 or 160 is enough,” said de Villiers.