Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Dropped for Final T20I as India Lose Series to England
India’s five‑match T20I tour of England ended in a 4‑0 whitewash, with England posting 257/3 and India 201/8 in the decisive fifth match at Southampton. After winning the toss, India elected to bowl first and made a controversial selection change, dropping 15‑year‑old left‑hand opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Sooryavanshi had made 14, 13 and 15 in his three innings and was replaced by right‑hander Sanju Samson to achieve a left‑right opening combination, as explained by captain Shreyas Iyer.
Sooryavanshi was captured in the dugout visibly emotional, sitting alone and crying after being omitted. The clip quickly went viral on social media, prompting widespread sympathy and criticism of the team management’s handling of the young talent. Former player Mohammad Kaif and other pundits condemned the decision, describing the management as “confused”. The series loss also saw India surrender its No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings. The team will next tour Zimbabwe, where Sooryavanshi is projected to open the batting.