The second match of the five game T20 series between India and England is being played today at Old Trafford in Manchester, and all eyes are on 15 year old Vaibhav Suryavanshi ahead of the game. The question on everyone's mind is whether he will finally get a game. Vaibhav has earned his first call up to the Indian team, but he has been benched for the last three matches. The biggest reason for that has been the team's inability to fit him into the current combination. The batters who performed well before his selection are the ones the team management continues to trust for now. But the situation appears to be changing, and Vaibhav's wait could soon be over.
Interestingly, a spot could open up for Vaibhav Suryavanshi without any major reshuffle at the top of the order. That raises the real question, if Vaibhav is included in the playing eleven, who makes way for him. The answer is that none of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson or Ishan Kishan will be dropped. Instead, it is Tilak Varma in the middle order who could be left out, and there is a solid reason behind that too.
Why Tilak Varma's spot is under threat
In T20 cricket, Tilak Varma has largely been used as a filler batter for the Indian team. He has batted at number 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 so far, but his slow batting against spin in the middle order keeps turning into a problem. The same pattern showed up in the recent match against England. As soon as Tilak walked out to bat, captain Harry Brook immediately brought on the spin attack, and Tilak struggled to cope. He was dismissed for just 13 runs off 13 balls. This is not an issue limited to the Indian team alone, it has also shown up in the IPL. Tilak Varma's strike rate against spin stands at just 126, and that number is exactly why his place is now under threat.
The playing eleven math behind Vaibhav's possible debut
If Tilak Varma is dropped, it will have a direct knock on effect on the batting order. In that scenario, Ishan Kishan could be pushed down to bat at number 5. Ishan is currently batting at number 3. With Ishan moving into the middle order, Sanju Samson would have to bat at number 3. Following this reshuffle, Vaibhav Suryavanshi could get the opportunity to open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma. If the team management goes ahead with this combination, Vaibhav's debut can be considered almost certain. However, the final call will rest entirely with the captain and the coach, on whether they want Vaibhav to spend more time settling into the team environment first, or send this baby boss straight out onto the field against the English.
