The combined efforts by Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Naman Dhir secured second straight win for India in the ongoing 5-T20I series against New Zealand. Despite a collapsing batting order, the Men in Blue edged past the 181-run target in the final over of the match. Despite the win, former Team India spinner Murali Kartik pointed out an issue in India's batting order.

Ishan Kishan was ruled out of the match because of an injury. In place of him, the Indian team management placed the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a regular opener, at No.3. According to Kartik, slotting Sooryavanshi to No.3 was a wrong call made by the team management.

Murali Kartik points out an issue in Indian batting order

The 15-year-old boy wonder made his name as an ultra-aggressive opener. Whenever he played for India A, Rajasthan Royals or for the India National Cricket Team, the Bihar-born did not hesitate to pick up the gears. But today in Christchurch, the southpaw lacked his usual flair and the entire top order somehow came down quickly.

Without smashing a single boundary, Sooryavanshi departed after facing 8 balls and scoring only 4 runs. Why did he fail to play his natural game? Murali Kartik, who is now working as a cricket expert, mentioned that it could be because of a change in his batting position.

Murali Kartik questions Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's batting position

Kartik, in his explanation, opined that considering the age of the batter, the team management should not shuffle his batting position. Ahead of today's match, the teen prodigy had only played as an opener, so the No.3 role was very new to him.

"There were no such issues today. But I believe, and I have said this before the match began, especially before our batting, when you are playing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, where is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi good at? He is good as an opener," Murali Kartik said while speaking to the Sony Sports Network.

Murali Kartik further expressed that if the team wants to play Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Sooryavanshi all together in a match, then only they could consider shuffling Samson's batting order, as he has played in various batting orders before.

"He has not played in between. He is a young kid. He has played in the same manner. And this is why you have experienced players who can play different roles. And I believe, and I have won the match, that is a different thing. But if you are playing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he should have opened today," Kartik continued.

Should Team India drop Sanju Samson deep in the batting order?

For Murali Kartik, with those three top-order batters, Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be the openers, with Sanju Samson after them, somewhere in the middle order

"Sanju Samson is one of your players who is a banker. He can play for you in a different place. I believe he can be out of position. And people can say, why only him? But sometimes you are a senior player and an experienced player. So you have to play these roles. Especially when you have picked Vaibhav Sooryavanshi," he added further.

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐚𝐢𝐛𝐡𝐚𝐯 𝐒𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢, 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧! 🎙️ Murali Kartik makes his case on Extraaa Innings, backing the young talent to bat at the top while experienced players like Sanju Samson adapt to different roles in the batting order! 💥 Watch the HERO VIDA India Tour of New Zealand, 3rd T20I on 27th Oct, 11:30 AM onwards, LIVE on Sony Sports Network TV channels, Sony LIV & Sony Vizha. #SonySportsNetwork #SonyLIV #SonyVizha #NZvIND

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