'I made him understand': Gambhir reveals what he told Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has discussed his interactions with teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and revealed why the young player had to wait for his chance despite being in good form. In March this year, Sooryavanshi made history by becoming the youngest Indian to play international cricket when he made his T20I debut for India against England at the age of 15 years and 99 days, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's previous record.

He then became the youngest player to score a half-century in men's international cricket when he scored 50 against Zimbabwe at 15 years and 118 days.

Despite his early success, Sooryavanshi did not feature in the entirety of India's Afghanistan series or the one-off T20I against Japan ahead of the Asian Games. In the Asian Games semifinal against Sri Lanka, the 15-year-old made a bigger contribution, scoring 38 off 21 balls. Gambhir explained to Sooryavanshi that being in good form does not always guarantee an immediate opportunity.

It was a new experience for Gambhir as well. He acknowledged that Sooryavanshi was in good form, but he had to understand that sometimes, due to the longevity of experienced players, he would have to wait for his opportunity. Gambhir emphasized that the playing eleven is decided based on the coach and captain's belief in the best combination to win a match. It's not influenced by social media or outside noise.

Gambhir highlighted that the coach and captain need to select a combination that has proven its effectiveness over a prolonged period. Dropping experienced players and bringing in young talent can create uncertainty in the dressing room, leading to difficult conversations with those left out. Sooryavanshi's success in the Asian Games title defense further solidified his place in the team.

At 15 years, six months, and six days, he also became the youngest Indian to win an Asian Games gold medal, surpassing shooter Saurabh Chaudhary's record.