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Iyer on why Samson replaced Sooryavanshi in fifth T20I: ‘Won so many series for us’
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Iyer said the need for a right-hander at the top called for Samson's return in Southampton. (CREIMAS)India lost their fourth straight T20I against England in Southampton on Saturday, losing the series 4-0 and surrendering the number one ranking to their opponents. A major talking point was the exclusion of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the return of Sanju Samson for the last game, who made 27 runs in the 258-run chase. Captain Shreyas Iyer explained the reasoning behind the decision, stating that the team wanted a right-hander to open the batting with Abhishek Sharma and they wanted to try a new combination.“We needed to try the best combination that would be perfect in these conditions. And we also wanted a right-hander to go on with Abhishek (Sharma). So, that was one of the major reasons. And if you see, I was the only one out of all the left-handers who was a right-hander,” Iyer said in the post-match press conference. “So, as I mentioned earlier, we wanted to try a different combination which would be suitable for this particular game. And he’s a gun batsman. He has won so many series for us in the past. So, yeah, one of those reasons,” he added. The right-hander also stressed the challenges with playing at different venues and admitted that England had outplayed India in all departments. “We kept on going from one venue to another, and we kept on facing challenges, especially in terms of the dimensions, the grounds, the conditions. Just to adapt to it as quickly as we could have anticipated, that didn’t happen. That was one challenge. And the other one is definitely that they outplayed us in all departments, I would say. So, I think a combination of all these points definitely led to this result.Story continues below this ad The series against England was Iyer’s second as captain, and the 31-year-old remains winless as the T20I captain. The right-hander admitted that the series was a learning experience for him and the other players in the squad, and that they were hurt by the defeat. “It definitely hurts. But I feel that it’s a great learning for me as a captain and also for other players who have played here for the first time. And when I say great learning, it’s all about how you turn up for the tournament. You can’t just have that mindset that you will come to England and you will win the series. You need to work hard, you need to be focused, which we were as a team.” “But I personally feel that they played exceptional cricket throughout in all three departments. So, probably, you see, the results also went in their favour because they were comprehensive in all three departments,” he said.Story continues below this ad Iyer also pointed out the importance of fielding, admitting that the opposition had dominated India in that aspect and how a team’s fielding went a long way in developing a ‘rhythm’ within the team. “See, the majority of us, we have played together in the IPL. We know our strengths and weaknesses. Just in terms of the fielding, I think it plays a key role, especially building that momentum and energy around the team environment. And when we went to Ireland, fielded here, I think we were definitely dominated by them in that aspect.” “Why I feel fielding is very important is because it basically creates a rhythm in the team in all the matches. So, especially in T20, where your fitness demands, you need to be agile, you need to be aware about how the conditions are going to be, and especially different outfields and different wickets. So, I think that’s one department. If we are probably the best, if we basically dream to be the best team-wise, we will definitely prosper,” he added.
Air India is not exerting any pressure or giving any deadline to the families of AI 171 crash victims to accept its final compensation offer and the families are “entirely free” to wait until the final investigation report is released before deciding on whether to accept the compensation, the Tata group airline is learnt to have written in its response to Radhika Mishra, the daughter of former Gujarat chief minister and one of the crash victims Vijay Rupani.Mishra had written to Tata Sons and Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran, objecting to the airline asking victims’ kin to forgo their right to sue the airline and other stakeholders if they wished to take the final compensation offer. In her email to Chandrasekaran, Mishra opposed the legal waiver requirement, saying that the investigation into the deadly aviation disaster in Ahmedabad was not yet complete, but the airline was asking families to permanently waive present and future claims even before all the facts were known, it is learnt. The crash had claimed a total of 260 lives–229 of the 230 passengers on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft, 12 flight and cabin crew personnel, and 19 persons on the ground. It was the worst aviation disaster involving an Indian airline in four decades. In its response, Air India said that the final compensation offers were made as there were a number of families that wanted to receive the compensation instead of waiting for the final investigation report, according to sources in the know. It also said that the waiver requirement was in line with the approach taken by airlines globally in such circumstances for the settlement to be indeed final. The airline has also been maintaining that it is following international norms and the compensation being offered is fair and as per the law. Air India initiated the final compensation process in October. As part of the exercise, the airline asked families willing to accept the final compensation to give an undertaking that they will not make any future legal claims against the airline or anyone else, including the original equipment manufacturers—Boeing, General Electric, Honeywell—and other stakeholders like the Ahmedabad airport and Indian government agencies. Before Mishra, a few other victims’ families and their lawyers had opposed the legal waiver clause a few months ago. “There is one matter we would respectfully clarify at the outset: there is absolutely no deadline or pressure on any family or individual to accept our offer within a set timeframe. It is for this reason that our offer of final compensation did not set out any timetable for acceptance. Families are entirely free to wait until the investigation report has been released, as some have chosen to do,” the airline wrote in its response to Mishra, it is learnt. “However, it is also worth pointing out that the investigation is independently conducted by the AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau), and therefore Air India is not aware of when the report will be released. In light of the numerous requests that we received, and conscious of our own obligations, we felt that it would not be fair to families who wish to proceed with final compensation if we were to put the process on hold indefinitely,” Air India is learnt to have said. While the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommends that the final investigation reports on aircraft accidents be released, if possible, within one year of the occurrence, it is unlikely that the final findings of the probe into the AI 171 crash will be released by its first anniversary on June 12. An interim report or a status report, however, could be released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Aircraft accident investigations can be extremely complex and long-drawn exercises, sometimes taking years for the causes to be ascertained.Story continues below this ad “We fully understand your apprehension in relation to the wording in the Receipt, Discharge & Indemnity
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi broke the U19 World Cup sixes record during the final against England in Harare. (ICC Media Zone)As the sun set on one ‘Surya’, another ‘Soorya’ rose on Saturday. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was indisputably the most talked-about player in IPL 2026. His stellar performances have now earned him a spot in the senior Indian squads for the tours to Ireland and England later this month and the Asian Games in September. It has been a sensational rise for the 15-year-old, who made his first-class debut in January 2024 and, in just over two-and-a-half years, reached the highest level in the game.Sooryavanshi’s selection was one of the headline decisions announced by chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar on Saturday, with the teenager rewarded for a breakthrough IPL campaign that saw him emerge as the leading run-getter with 776 runs in 16 matches. Agarkar made it clear that age was not a consideration once the youngster’s performances were weighed up. “His performances, like I said before, he’s almost forced us to pick him with how well he’s played. I know his age, and how young he is, and how early in his career. But we can all see what kind of talent he has,” Agarkar said. The chief selector pointed to Sooryavanshi’s ability to repeatedly deliver in a high-pressure environment despite being one of the youngest players in the IPL. “You saw what he can do. I don’t need to talk about how well he is playing. And it’s not just this season. To back it up for a young kid in a competition that’s as competitive and has a high-pressure environment, and how explosive he can be and a game-changer that he can be. We’ve got high hopes of him,” Agarkar said.Story continues below this ad The teenager’s rise has been swift. After making waves in age-group cricket like the Under-19 World Cup, he translated that promise onto the IPL stage, where his fearless batting and ability to take on established international bowlers convinced selectors that he was ready for the next challenge. Agarkar acknowledged that international cricket would test Sooryavanshi in different ways but backed the youngster to handle the step up. “We’re hopeful that if and when he gets an opportunity to actually play for the country, he shows us the same sort of ability that he’s shown. Obviously, there will be tougher challenges when he plays for the country, but he’s shown great promise. He’s picked himself through his performances,” he said. While Sooryavanshi’s immediate future lies in T20 cricket, Agarkar stressed that India would be careful with his development and avoid rushing him into other formats.Story continues below this ad “His performances have made us pick him in the format that he’s excelled over the last couple of seasons in the IPL. With regards to red-ball cricket, he’s a kid. He’s just starting his journey. We’re very excited with what he’s doing in T20 cricket and we’ll take one step at a time,” Agarkar said. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also indicated that Sooryavanshi’s progression would be managed carefully. “We are very careful about his future, and our selectors and our technical persons are monitoring his every step,” he said. For now, though, the teenager’s remarkable rise has reached another milestone. From making his first-class debut as a prodigious talent to earning a place in India’s senior T20 set-up before his 16th birthday, Sooryavanshi’s journey continues to gather pace.
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