Suryavanski must wait as Gambhir backs opening pair experiment

India's opening combination of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson has earned the backing of head coach Gautam Gambhir, leaving Vaibhav Suryavanski facing continued wait for his chance in the T20 setup. Suryavanski remained on the bench throughout the recently-concluded T20 series against Afghanistan as the new opening pair demonstrated their potential at the top of the order. Abhishek Sharma and Samson combined effectively in the series, with Abhishek delivering a record-breaking century in the third T20 encounter. Gambhir's decision to persist with the pairing sends a clear message about the team management's confidence in their current strategy. The coach made it evident that Suryavanski must continue to wait for his opportunity as the team looks to build consistency with its established opening partnership, prioritising the recent positive performances over rotation at the position.