'Why such unnecessary comments?': BCCI VC Rajeev Shukla defends Gautam Gambhir over Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's India debut delay

‘Why such unnecessary comments?’: BCCI VC Rajeev Shukla defends Gautam Gambhir over Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India debut delay originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla backs team management over Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s delayed debut.
• Bowling coach Morne Morkel says dropping World Cup heroes for Sooryavanshi isn’t straightforward.
• India legends, including Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, all push for Sooryavanshi’s immediate inclusion.

BCCI backs team management as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi debate refuses to die down

Questions keep swirling around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s wait for a senior India cap, and now BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has stepped into the debate, firmly backing the team management and insisting the 15-year-old will get his chance when the moment is right.

The teenager’s 776-run IPL campaign at a strike rate of 237.31 had the entire country demanding his immediate inclusion, but India’s coaching setup has stood firm.

Despite being part of the squad through the T20I series against Ireland and the rain-ruined first match against England, Sooryavanshi has not yet set foot on the field as a senior India player.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer have consistently maintained that the current top-order combination, comprising Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, has earned the right to continue.

All three played significant roles during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph earlier this year, and the management’s position is that disrupting that combination without clear cause would be premature.

MORE: Sooryavanshi’s emergence couldn’t have come at a worse time for Sanju Samson

Rajeev Shukla tells critics to trust the dressing room

Shukla was blunt in his defence of the coaching setup, telling Times Now that both Gambhir and Iyer are perfectly capable of reading the situation and will hand Sooryavanshi his opportunity at the right time. 

“We are also of the view that he is a very talented player, and he showcased that during the IPL” he said.

“I have seen several comments against the team management and the coaches, but I want to make it very clear that the coach and captain will make the final decision.

“They are looking at the situation, and whenever the right opportunity arises, they will definitely give him his chance. So, such decisions should be left to the wisdom of the team management. I don’t know why such unnecessary comments are being made about it.”

BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla Breaks Silence on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Row | WATCH

Speaking to TIMES NOW, He said the decision should be left to the team management and that they should not be criticised for their selection choices.@karishmasingh22 & @HeenaGambhir with more… pic.twitter.com/es0a2xT4Us

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) July 3, 2026

MORE:Vaibhav Sooryavanshi bowled in nets after ‘scratchy’ session

India legends line up on the other side

Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri and Mohammad Kaif have all gone on record advocating for the teenager to be handed a starting berth.

The collective weight of that cricketing opinion has done little to move the think tank, which appears committed to giving Samson and Abhishek a sustained run before reconsidering the top-order structure.

Gavaskar said: “I’ve been saying this for a month, that in these two matches against Ireland, given Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s form, he could have been played in both games.

“Because in one match, you could have opened with Abhishek Sharma and Sooryavanshi, and in the second match, you could have dropped Abhishek or moved him down the order to bring in Samson. You could have done that. But it didn’t happen.”

Samson’s position looks the most vulnerable given his low scores in Ireland and against England. But India bowling coach Morne Morkel was equally measured in his defence of the current approach ahead of the second T20I at Old Trafford.

MORE: ‘We have to back him’: Karthik settles Sooryavanshi vs Samson debate

“Look, I don’t think there are a lot of factors. I think we just need to also respect the fact that we’ve got the number one batter in T20 cricket, Abhishek Sharma. Sanju was the Player of the World Cup. He had a great IPL. So I think as a coaching staff, it’s only fair to show faith and back your players,” Morkel told reporters.

Morkel also acknowledged that Sooryavanshi knocking on the door is exciting and a healthy sign for Indian cricket, but stressed that the right way to reward match-winners is to back them through a lean spell rather than pulling the trigger too quickly. 

“Yes, there’s a young man knocking on the door, and it’s exciting, but I reckon for not just those two players at the top, but for the rest of the group, it’s a good sign that we show that we back you guys. It’s about putting performances on the board; that is key,” he added.

“But also, if you look at it, we also don’t want to think too much and bat other players out of positions. So I reckon it’s not a straightforward decision.”

For now, the management holds firm, and Sooryavanshi must wait.

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