Criticism of India's Batting Order Decision in T20I Against New Zealand

Former Indian cricketer Murali Kartik has expressed his disapproval of the decision to send 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to bat at No. 3 in the second T20I against New Zealand held in Christchurch. Sooryavanshi, who stepped in for the injured Ishan Kishan, managed to score only four runs off eight balls in this unfamiliar batting position.

Kartik argued that Sooryavanshi is best suited to open the batting and criticized the management for not utilizing his strengths effectively. He suggested that experienced player Sanju Samson should have taken on the No. 3 role instead, as he is capable of adapting to various batting positions.

Despite India's victory in the match, Kartik maintained that the team should prioritize placing players in roles where they can perform optimally. He also mentioned that Shivam Dube could have been a better choice for the middle order if Sooryavanshi was not selected.