"Will you play Vaibhav Suryavanshi only when someone is injured?" - Former batter's blunt query after 4th NZ vs IND 2026 T20I

Former opener Aakash Chopra has questioned the Indian management's decision to leave Vaibhav Suryavanshi out of the playing XI for the fourth T20I against New Zealand in Auckland. According to Chopra, if Suryavanshi is only going to get a chance in the Indian team when someone is injured or unavailable, then he is better off playing domestic cricket.

Despite smashing 45 off 19 in the third T20I in Wellington, Suryavanshi was left out of India's playing XI for the fourth match against New Zealand in Auckland on Friday, October 30. With Ishan Kishan recovering from his injury, he was recalled to the playing XI.

During a discussion on his YouTube channel, Chopra described the Indian management's decision to leave out Suryavanshi for the Auckland T20I as disappointing. He commented:

"Last match, Abhishek made 100 and Vaibhav missed his 50. But the batting was very good. After that, the question was, if Ishan is fit, who will go out. If you think philosophically, then the answer is Vaibhav Suryavanshi since he replaced an injured Kishan. But this was a dead rubber.

"The decision to drop Vaibhav Suryavanshi leads to a bigger question. Will you play Vaibhav Suryavanshi only when someone is injured? Or when someone is unavailable? If that is the case, you can send him home. You can tell him to go and play first-class cricket. Of course, he can learn by staying in the Indian dressing room. But, if it's happening for an extended period, it's better he gets bat on ball," the former India opener added.

Kishan was dismissed for a three-ball duck on his comeback on Friday. Chasing a target of 260, India were held to 172-9.

"We don't know what they are going to do with Vaibhav Suryavanshi" - Chopra on India's thought process

In the same video, Chopra also urged the Indian management to come out in the open about what they have in mind about Suryavanshi. Chopra stated that a lack of communication over the same is leading to needless confusion. He explained:

"The team should come out and share what their roadmap and philosophy is. Maybe they have already thought about it and have already charted out a plan. But they haven't told anybody. As such, we don't know what they are going to do with Vaibhav Suryavanshi. His absence was a little disappointing."

Suryavanshi has featured in 10 T20Is so far and has scored 295 runs at an average of 29.50 and a strike rate of 185.53, with two half-centuries.

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