Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's long wait for a spot in India's playing XI finally ended in the second T20I against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 24, 2026. The teenage batter took the No. 3 position vacated by the injured Ishan Kishan, who suffered a low-grade right adductor strain. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma continued to occupy the top two spots, with India's opening combination firmly established. However, Sooryavanshi's outing proved challenging as he was dismissed for 4 runs off 8 balls while walking in during the sixth over.

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin analysed the young batter's struggles during his difficult stint at the crease. Speaking after the match, Ashwin offered his assessment of Sooryavanshi's performance and the tactical positioning that left the teenager looking uncomfortable in an unfamiliar role.

"That is a miss. For a young cricketer like Vaibhav, 'miss' is too early I think to say, but because I have only two options of a hit or a miss, he just found himself a little like a fish out of water. He kept going hard, kept going hard for the eight balls," Ashwin said on Sony Sports Network.

Ashwin elaborated on what Sooryavanshi needed during his difficult outing at the crease. The spinner highlighted the importance of composure and technique when batting in an unfamiliar position, noting that the teenager appeared to lose his timing and rhythm against New Zealand's bowling attack.

"It did not feel like he was ever timing the ball, and that is when you need a senior partner to walk down to him and say, 'Calm down, just hang in there, look to play close to your body, watch the ball better.' Sometimes, as a batter, all you need to be told is to watch the ball closer. You do miss that in all the action that happens around you. So I just felt like he was a fish out of water. Walking in during the sixth over is not his cup of tea," Ashwin added.

What adjustment does Ashwin suggest for future matches?

Ashwin suggested a tactical adjustment for the Gautam Gambhir-led team management if all three batters were to play together in future matches. He referenced a previous instance during the Asian Games where a similar combination had been used, with Sanju Samson sliding down to bat at No. 3.

"Look, I think they played this combination before, and Sanju had to skip down to number three. If they are going to go with this combination, I am not too sure Vaibhav has got to bat at number three, but it is what it is. Today it was a miss for Vaibhav," Ashwin said.

India's middle order delivered strong performances as the team chased New Zealand's total of 180 runs. Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ramandeep Singh all produced pivotal knocks that proved crucial for India's successful chase, showcasing the depth and capability of the lower-middle order.

Ashwin praised the aggressive batting approach and technical skills displayed by India's middle order in the match. He highlighted the dangerous combination of power hitters and their ability to take on both pace and spin bowling.

"India's middle order is coming through nicely. That is six, seven, and eight. It looks pretty dangerous. All of them can belt the ball. Ramandeep is a very good hitter of pace bowling," Ashwin concluded.