Gambhir's message for Sooryavanshi after Abhishek's heroics

India coach Gautam Gambhir has urged teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to stay patient and await his chance as the side continues to utilise more senior players at the top of the order in the shortest format.

Sooryavanshi watched on from the sidelines on Thursday as fellow opener Abhishek Sharma rewrote the record books with the third fastest T20I century of all time as India clinched an emphatic 127-run victory over Afghanistan to complete a series sweep over there Asian rival.

Abhishek and Sanju Samson were Gambhir's preferred combination at the top of the order throughout the Afghanistan series and the duo were in fine form as they finished as the two leading run scorers from both sides across the three-game series.

It meant Sooryavanshi had to bide his time and watch on as his two more experienced teammates dominated against Afghanistan and Gambhir suggested this will continue for some time and the teenage batting sensation would have wait longer for more opportunities.

“From Vaibhav’s point of view, it was a very clear conversation that he will have to wait for his opportunity," Gambhir said.

"We know the kind of talent he has and what he can do, but someone who has been performing for the last two to three years will always be ahead of someone who has just entered the team. 

"Whenever he gets his run, he will get a longer run as well. 

"That is what Indian cricket is all about—we want competition and talent in the dressing room, but that’s how cricket goes. 

"Whether you’re a 15-year-old or a 30-year-old, when you have to wait for your opportunity, you have to wait for your opportunity."

Sooryavanshi had made a blistering start to his senior international career, with the left-hander having already scored a pair of half-centuries opening the batting through six T20I appearances since his debut against England in July.

Gambhir said the fact Abhishek and Samson had performed so well as a pairing at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the start of the year meant they were always going to get plenty of chances to further strengthen their partnership.

"In this series, we were always very clear from my point of view that we wanted to go back to the combination we had during the (T20) World Cup," he said.

"Because those guys, after three or four failures, do not become bad players.

“The cricket we’ve played—if a team has gone unbeaten from one World Cup to another and won the World Cup, I’m sure it’s a gun team. 

"Suddenly, it doesn’t become a bad team after one or two series, and these guys do not become bad players after two or three failures. That is what these guys have shown here as well."

Series Schedule: 

First T20I - India won by seven wickets

Second T20I - India won by seven wickets 

Third T20I - India won by 127 runs