26 publishers · first seen Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00 UTC · updated Mon, 02 Nov 2026 05:25 UTC
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended the decision to bench teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the final T20I against New Zealand, stating that his role is to make decisions based on team interest rather than popularity. Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has criticised the decision, arguing that Sooryavanshi needs a sustained run in the side to build his confidence and experience. Sooryavanshi, who has shown impressive performances in domestic cricket, was left out of the playing XI despite Ishan Kishan's return from injury. Gambhir acknowledged the mental toll of coaching and the challenges of managing an inexperienced bowling attack, but praised the team's performance and aggressive batting philosophy.
In the fifth and final T20I, New Zealand defeated India by seven wickets, with Tim Seifert scoring 93 and Glenn Phillips remaining unbeaten on 65. Despite the loss, India won the series 3-2. Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan contributed with fifties for India, but the team struggled in the middle overs and lost momentum.
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