Parthiv Patel Backs Sooryavanshi's Debut Wait, Says Communication Must Be Clear

India will be disappointed not to have registered their first victory of the tour despite posting a competitive total in challenging Durham conditions. However, they will take plenty of positives from their opening outing in England as they prepare to face the hosts in the second T20I at Old Trafford in Stretford on Saturday, July 4.

After slipping to 6/2 in the first T20I, India recovered brilliantly to post 188 on the board, thanks to half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and skipper Shreyas Iyer. However, heading into the second T20I, Sanju Samson's struggles under slightly testing conditions have become a talking point, especially with prodigious youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting in the wings for his potential debut.

JioStar expert Parthiv Patel shared his thoughts on India's batting performance in the first match, Sanju Samson's form, and whether Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could get an opportunity in the second game

Speaking to JioStar, Parthiv Patel emphasized the importance of the solid batting performance by Indian batters in the first T20I to counter the doubts on their ability to tackle bowling friendly conditions, especially after Ireland debacle.

"The way India's first two games against Ireland went, it was important for India to produce this kind of batting performance. There were obviously doubts about whether India could adapt to certain conditions and whether they could change their game plan. Looking at those games in Ireland, in my opinion, this innings was necessary for India, where you see a complete batting performance.”

Parthiv Patel Deciphers Sanju Samson's Dismissals

Parthiv Patel unraveled Sanju Samson's technical issues in the current white ball tour, which led to his departure in the first T20I for a meagre score of 1.

"The ball was swinging a bit, there was some spongy bounce as well, and it wasn't coming onto the bat nicely. So, it was very important to be in a decisive position while playing that shot. Sanju Samson was still slightly moving when he played it. The ball stopped a bit, and because of that, he lacked control."

While Parthiv is of the view that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be included in the playing XI, but at the same time he believes that Samson doesn't need to worry about his position in the team.

"The other big question is whether, with Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan in the squad, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be included in the playing XI. I don't think Sanju needs to panic, but obviously, you want runs from him,” Parthiv added.

Parthiv believes that Sooryavanshi will get an opportunity at some point in the series, and till then it's the responsibility of the team management to maintain clear communication with him in this regard as he's just a 15-year-old.

"I feel Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will definitely get an opportunity at some point in this series. But at this stage, communication is extremely important. When you're part of the coaching staff, you have to make sure you communicate clearly with the players. Even if you're not going to play him, you have to tell him that. He's a 15-year-old kid, so you need to be very careful with him and advise him to be patient.

Parthiv believes that the management should tell him that those who're playing ahead of him have been top performers at the international and are playing ahead of him on merit.

There are a lot of players who have also done really well. Sanju Samson was the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan, who is batting at three, is the ICC's No. 1-ranked T20I batter, while Abhishek Sharma is No. 2. At this point in time, there isn't a place for Vaibhav in the XI, and that needs to be communicated to him really well."

Parthiv Patel On Shreyas Iyer's Form

Parthiv Patel also heaps praises on skipper Shreyas Iyer for his 68-run knock off 47 balls, playing a vital role in India competitive first innings total. He said that while Abhishek was blasting at the other end, Iyer played the second fiddle well and rotated the strike in the middle overs to keep the scoreboard ticking. Iyer's understanding of the conditions and his approach in the first T20I impressed Parthiv Patel.

"Those raising questions over Shreyas Iyer would have felt a lot more relieved after this innings. As a player, Shreyas Iyer doesn't have to worry about anything. He's a proven performer in this format. It was a very important innings because India had lost two early wickets, while at the other end, Abhishek Sharma was batting quite aggressively. So, Shreyas had to play the second fiddle rather than rely too much on hitting sixes, which is something every Indian player is so used to from playing in the IPL. You have to rotate the strike, and score boundaries along the ground. I thought it was a masterclass from Shreyas Iyer, understanding the situation and the dimensions of the ground. That's something both the captain and the Indian team would have learned from those two games against Ireland."