1st T20I: Tough choice between Samson and Sooryavanshi

India face a dilemma over whether to opt for ‘Boy Wonder’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s no-holds-barred aggression or stick with the experience and unmatched flair of Sanju Samson as they take on Afghanistan in the opening game of the three-match T20I series starting Sunday.

While Sooryavanshi was drafted in the playing eleven in England at the expense of Samson, it is only fair to mention that by the last match of the series, the 15-year-old had to make way for his senior partner’s return.

It is not a straightforward choice, although Samson-Abhishek Sharma is a more stable T20I pair which has done fairly well. One can only hope that Gambhir and skipper Shreyas Iyer will give equal chances to both Samson and Sooryavanshi if possible before finalising the XI for the Asian Games matches in Japan.

During Friday’s evening net session, Samson did look slightly more in control compared to Sooryavanshi, who got a masterclass from Jasprit Bumrah on how to face quick bowling with movement off the surface. It could have been a case of the youngster taking time to adjust after playing three back-to-back red-ball games.

Also, Sooryavanshi could take the Afghan attack to the cleaners with none of the opposition bowlers remotely close to Bumrah’s quality. The pace at which they bowl could also suit Sooryavanshi’s minimal footwork and stand-and-deliver game. In Samson’s case, dropping him in England after just three failures in a high-risk format seemed unfair. But the Sooryavanshi euphoria had reached such a stage that the team management had to listen to popular demand, despite its stated resolve to remain insulated from outside noise.

But there could be a scenario where both Sooryavanshi and Samson end up playing if Ishan Kishan, who had a back injury scare during Friday evening’s net session, is ruled out of the game. Kishan, who is coming into the game after a magnificent Duleep Trophy final in which he scored 270 and 80, wouldn’t want to miss playing the only format where he is an India regular.

For the Indian squad that will be taking part in the Asian Games, three matches against a full-strength Afghan team with a world-class spin attack in Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed and Mujeeb ur Rahman is the best preparation that one can get.

Not to forget that seam attack comprising Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, supported by all-rounders Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai which can pose a few problems if the ‘tired’ Feroz Shah Kotla track, after a month-long DPL, offers assistance to the bowlers. Save for the dilemma at the top of the order, the other talking point in India’s playing XI will be the spinners who take the field. Gambhir’s affinity for multi-skilled players is well known by now, and hence Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are expected to feature in the line-up. The question is whether India would go for a third specialist spinner in Varun Chakravarthy or field a specialist seamer, Yash Thakur. Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are automatic picks, along with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.