Perfect pairing? Why India must stick with Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

The Times of India argues that India should persist with the opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi looking ahead to the 2028 T20 World Cup. After sealing the T20I series against New Zealand, Sooryavanshi was elevated to open in Wellington following Ishan Kishan's injury, smashing 45 off 19 balls and sharing a 133-run opening stand in seven overs alongside Sharma, who scored a century.

To accommodate the teenager, regular opener Sanju Samson moved down to bat at No. 3, drawing praise from Sharma for his selflessness. The article suggests that with head coach Gautam Gambhir embracing batting order flexibility, India can successfully fit Sooryavanshi, Samson, and Kishan into the same lineup by utilizing their positional adaptability.