Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Was Ready for Debut from Day One, Says India Batting Coach Sitanshu Kotak

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has thrown his full support behind teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying the 15-year-old was ready for international cricket from the moment he joined the squad. Ahead of the third T20I against England in Nottingham, Kotak also defended India's transition phase under new captain Shreyas Iyer, addressed concerns over the team's middle-order batting approach, and spoke about the search for pace-bowling all-rounders following injuries to Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Vaibhav backed to play fearless cricket after historic debut

Kotak said Sooryavanshi's debut had always been part of the team's plans and insisted the youngster did not require any technical instructions beyond trusting his natural game.

History was created during the second T20I in Manchester when Sooryavanshi, aged 15 years and 99 days, became India's youngest-ever international cricketer, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's long-standing record of 16 years and 238 days. The teenager scored 14 off 10 balls on debut, striking two sixes after missing out on opportunities during the Ireland series and the opening T20I against England.

"When Vaibhav joined the team, he was set to debut anyway. It is not like he became ready just before the last match. I think the only thing regarding his game from our side was just play your game, follow your instincts, play the way you play cricket, the same cricket that got you here. For batting, I do not think there were any other specific instructions like 'do this' or 'do that'," Kotak said.

Kotak also explained that conditions, rather than intent, influenced India's batting approach during the previous match. He noted that strong winds and disciplined English bowling made stroke-making difficult, adding that not every venue is suited for scores above 220.

"They (England) also bowled well in between. I think 190 was maybe a little above par or at least a par score. So, I think in both matches, 190 is not... in every condition you can't say it can be 225-250. So 190 to 200 is... but this ground (at Nottingham), yes, there are angles, it's a bit small, so the planning will obviously be according to that," he added.

Kotak dismisses criticism as India embraces transition

Responding to growing scrutiny following India's recent defeats, Kotak said the team management remains focused on building a squad capable of defending its global standing over the next two years rather than reacting to short-term results.

He highlighted that India had enjoyed tremendous success over the previous two years, including winning the T20 World Cup and Asia Cup, but acknowledged that a transition involving a new captain, injuries, and young players would naturally bring challenges.

"Our effort is to improve in all three departments: batting, bowling, and fielding. Since we won the last World Cup, the plan has been: how can we reach the next level in the next two years when the next World Cup comes. Because all teams will try to get better from where they are. So, we do not look at just one match. Sometimes a match goes well, and everyone says we did great. In another match, if two catches are dropped, everyone says the fielding was bad," he said.

"Until now, in the last two years, we had not lost a single series, we won the World Cup, won the Asia Cup in T20s, so everyone says it's very good. After losing two matches, so many people say 'oh, they are losing matches'. This is a game. There is a transition happening; the captain changed, Hardik is not there, and you are trying to introduce three or four young players in preparation for two years from now. Such things can happen during that time, though they should not," he added.

India grooming all-round options for future tournaments

Kotak also stressed the importance of developing pace-bowling all-rounders after injuries to Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy, identifying Suryansh Shedge as one of the promising players being integrated into the senior setup.

He said the team management's long-term strategy is to expose emerging cricketers to the international environment well before the next T20 World Cup, allowing them to gain valuable experience alongside established players.

"See, in T20, a pace-bowling all-rounder plays a very important role because if you count him as the sixth bowler, you might need him at any point. In this team as well, there is Suryansh, who did well in the IPL and was picked for the team. That is the reason; all those young players... maybe all 15 cannot play. They might get a chance to play sometime, but at least they are with the team, so they will get used to this environment. We have two years now. In between, there's a lot of domestic cricket and the IPL. Obviously, regarding Hardik's performance, quality, and experience--Nitish is gaining experience to match that. And this boy, Suryansh, has just joined the team. But if you look at the process, India, BCCI, selectors, and team management always try to prepare as best as possible for the upcoming event, even if it's two years away," he added.

(With inputs from ANI)