One game into India’s tour of New Zealand and the familiar fitness concerns have already surfaced. Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the second T20I at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday after sustaining a low-grade right adductor strain during the series opener on Thursday. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak revealed that Ishan was pushed down the order in the first T20I because of the injury. While a BCCI statement said the medical team is monitoring his progress, no timeline has been given for his return. Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra was added to the squad as cover.The setback could finally pave the way for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has spent the last nine matches on the sidelines. The team management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, has resisted calls to fast-track the 15-yearold despite the clamour around his talent. With uncertainty over Ishan’s recovery, however, the teenager may now get an opportunity in conditions far more challenging than those at home.Sooryavanshi attended an optional training session on Friday alongside Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Shivam Dube and Kuldeep Yadav. Under Kotak’s watchful eye, he spent considerable time in the nets, a clear indication that the team wants him ready if needed. If the team management decides to veer away from their template of playing eight batters and field a spinner, Sooryavanshi may have to wait.Few young cricketers in recent years have generated as much excitement a s Sooryavanshi. His exploits in the IPL and age-group cricket have fuelled expectations, with fans, experts and social media all eager to see him in India colours more regularly. Yet the management feels patience will benefit him more than premature exposure. The challenge in New Zealand will be significantly different: larger grounds, movement off the pitch and through the air, and a minuscule margin for error. The examination could be sterner than what he has encountered so far.Kotak believes the teenager has already matured since first joining the national setup. “Now, he is much more mature. He understood why he is not playing. He has never complained. He is working on his fielding and fitness and is constantly observing others’ batting. The lessons you learn at this level are very different, and he has to absorb those too,” Kotak said.While acknowledging the popularity surrounding the youngster, Kotak cautioned against allowing public sentiment to dictate team selection. “Everyone likes him. The public likes him. Social media likes him. The team likes him. But you can’t make changes in the XI just because people like a player. He will learn a lot once he starts playing, but initially there was too much hype around his place in the side,” he said.“I genuinely felt that wasn’t good for the player either. For a 15-year-old, everyone saying he must play doesn’t leave him much space. He is still very young. It’s unfair on other players who are performing as well. People involved in cricket should think whether they are helping or simply creating noise.”Sooryavanshi has already captured the imagination of fans through his IPL exploits. If selected, the next step will be proving he can thrive when the conditions are far less forgiving.
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