Gambhir defends selection after Vaibhav Sooryavanshi left out of final T20I
India head coach Gautam Gambhir stated his priority is making correct decisions rather than popular ones.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir defended his selection choices ahead of the fifth T20I against New Zealand on Sunday. The decision came after 15-year-old batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was excluded from the playing XI for the series finale, despite New Zealand already leading the series 3-1.
Gambhir told broadcasters that his role involves making the right choices for the team instead of trying to please everyone. He noted that while popular decisions are easy to make, he aims to ensure security within the dressing room.
The head coach explained that players who have performed well over an extended period deserve more opportunities. He acknowledged the abundance of talent in the Indian squad but maintained that consistent performers should be backed.
Sooryavanshi featured in two matches during the series after Ishan Kishan was sidelined with a groin injury. The teenager scored 45 runs in the third T20I, participating in a world-record powerplay partnership with Abhishek Sharma.
India's playing XI for the final match included Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, and Varun Chakaravarthy.
Addressing the short turnaround between assignments, Gambhir praised the players for adapting to New Zealand conditions. He stated that representing the country provides sufficient motivation and that he does not view any match as a dead rubber.