Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Image: X)

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s time will come, but feels India should currently stick with the top-three combination that delivered the 2026 T20 World Cup title, backing Sanju Samson to reclaim his place alongside Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan.Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India’s triumphant T20 World Cup campaign, was dropped after a string of low scores on the tour of England. Sooryavanshi was subsequently handed his international debut in Manchester and also opened during the T20Is against Zimbabwe.With Samson now recalled for the three-match home series against Afghanistan, beginning at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, Rahane believes the experienced batter should return to the top order.“I feel the top three should be the same that played in the World Cup. Samson has done well, but he got dropped after two or three bad innings. I want him to get another chance. Abhishek and Ishan also did well for us,” Rahane said in a video on his YouTube channel on Friday.“Vaibhav will get his opportunities, and his time will come. But for now, I feel the top three should be Samson, Abhishek, and Ishan, who were our contributors in the World Cup,” he added.

‘He should just play his game’

Rahane welcomed Samson’s return while pointing to the batter’s impact during India’s World Cup-winning campaign.“I am happy to see Sanju Samson back in the team. He was the ‘Man of the Series’ in the World Cup. It has been up and down, and things were happening to him that were not in his control. But he is a match-winner, and his return strengthens the team,” Rahane said.For Sooryavanshi, Rahane’s message was one of patience and freedom. The 15-year-old has made a rapid rise through domestic and franchise cricket, but the former India batter believes the teenager should not overthink his early international career.“I think he should just play his game right now. He should back the game that led him to come into the Indian team. It is a very early stage for him in his career and in international cricket,” Rahane said.“As of now, there is no need for him to think a lot, and he should be set free. His game will eventually change after two or three years, as much as he keeps playing. It will be important for him to maintain balance. Apart from cricket skills, it is important to stay balanced off the field. That will be a challenge for him.”

Sooryavanshi’s record-breaking rise

Sooryavanshi has already provided plenty of evidence of his ability. During the Duleep Trophy, he became the youngest player to score a half-century in the competition, reaching the landmark at 15 years and 175 days.He made 92 off 81 balls for East Zone, reaching his fifty from just 42 deliveries and breaking a 57-year-old record previously held by Laxman Singh, who was 16 years and 23 days old when he scored his Duleep Trophy fifty in 1969.Rahane believes the teenager’s next challenge is not proving his talent but maintaining the mental stability needed to handle his rapid rise.“If we talk about cricket skills, we saw how well he batted in the IPL and scored consistently. He scored for India A and also made runs for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy,” Rahane said.“He has shown consistency. The only thing for him will be to stay mentally balanced and stable so that he can continue operating the way he does. Yes, he will have to make some tweaks in his game, but there is time for that,” he concluded.