Top 5 expert reactions to Vaibhav Suryavanshi's blazing knock in 3rd NZ vs IND 2026 T20I ft. R Ashwin

Team India batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi struck an impressive 45 off 19 balls as the Men in Blue beat New Zealand by six wickets in Wellington on Tuesday, October 27. By winning the third T20I, the visitors took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.

Chasing a target of 199, India got home in 13.2 overs as Suryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma (113 off 38) added 133 in 43 balls. The former struck four fours and as many sixes in his knock before being dismissed by Matthew Fisher.

A number of experts have reacted to Suryavanshi's impressive knock in the third T20I against New Zealand in Wellington. Take a look.

#1 Ravichandran Ashwin

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has urged fans and experts not to put too much pressure on Suryavanshi. Pointing to his age, Ashwin stated that the 15-year-old must be allowed to enjoy his cricket at this stage. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former cricketer said:

"I really hope that the young boy gets that breathing space. I know he is going to be the poster boy of Indian cricket at some stage, but we all need to take that backward step and allow him to enjoy his cricket... He did something spectacular today (Tuesday). I won't jump to any conclusions. He is a talent to watch out for. Let him enjoy his cricket, and let's also enjoy watching him bat."

After struggling at No. 3 in the previous T20I, Suryavanshi opened the batting with Abhishek on Tuesday and looked in great flow.

#2 Ravi Shastri

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri opined that Suryavanshi's knock against New Zealand in Wellington should not come as a surprise to many. He stated that the southpaw is not overawed by the big stage because he has taken on some prominent bowlers in the IPL. Speaking on Sony Sports, he said:

"He has got a smart cricketing brain. He has got the exuberance of youth. He is not overawed. He likes to take the attack to the opposition. We have seen that time and time again in the IPL. Like Abhishek (Sharma), he is a powerful striker. He clears that front leg, can go both sides, and even that shot (six over point) - that's terrific bat speed for the ball to go that far into the crowd."

Suryavanshi has had a sensational IPL 2026 campaign, smashing 776 runs in 16 matches at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.30, with one century and five half-centuries.

#3 Aakash Chopra

Former India opener Aakash Chopra opined that Suryavanshi should be allowed to bat at his preferred batting position since he is only 15 years old. He added that if there has to be a shuffle in the batting order, seniors like Abhishek and Sanju Samson should take that responsibility. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra commented:

"Obviously while playing international cricket, you don't want to talk about age, but he's 15. A 15-year-old kid should only be given that much pressure to handle. International cricket is already a lot of pressure. So if anybody has to move around in the batting order, it should be the other people. I mean, it should be Abhishek, Sanju Samson, or Ishan Kishan, or whoever else."

Batting at No. 3 in the second T20I in Christchurch, Suryavanshi was dismissed for four off eight balls.

#4 Irfan Pathan

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan opined that Suryavanshi's success with the willow has a lot to do with his bat flow. He also praised the youngster for taking on the New Zealand bowlers from the word go. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan said:

"You should never underestimate his bat flow. He generates such power that even a strong 30-year-old is not able to. He is able to do it because of the way his bat moves, and there is separation of hip and shoulder. There is so much movement in his body, but his head still remains stable."

Suryavanshi struck Jacob Duffy for a first-ball four in the chase in Wellington. In the same over, he also struck a six.

#5 Mohammad Kaif

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif praised Suryavanshi for making an impressive comeback after his failure in the second T20I. Praising the 15-year-old's mental resolve, Kaif said on his YouTube channel:

"When Vaibhav came at three, he was not in the flow and was low in confidence. But when he got to open, the switch that he made, it shows how mentally strong he is. It is not easy. He did it in just two days. It is not easy after regularly sitting out and not knowing about your future with uncertainty. I hope there are some clear instructions for him from the management. He deserves a lot of credit. He did not let the pressure get the better of him and knew how to come back. It was a test for him too, as Sanju was dropped to three for him to open."

In 10 T20Is so far, Suryavanshi 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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