Speaking on Star Sports, Vinay stressed the importance of players occupying their best batting positions, noting that Suryakumar’s captaincy responsibilities may have previously forced him to bat lower in the order.
“It is important for any player to bat at his best position. Surya plays well in the top order. But as a captain, he has to give others the cushion and take the hit… This bilateral series is not like the World Cup. It is important to play in your best place,” Vinay said.
He also hinted that Shubman Gill’s exclusion from the T20I squad could be a tactical move to allow Suryakumar more freedom in the top order. Vinay suggested Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson open the innings, with Suryakumar at No. 3, followed by Tilak or Shreyas Iyer at No. 4, to maximise their impact ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.
“Maybe that is a reason why Shubman Gill is not in the team. If Gill is not there, the probability of Surya playing at three becomes more… Any player will think about where they succeeded, how they batted, and what mindset worked. There is no scope for mistakes in the T20 World Cup,” he added.
Suryakumar has struggled for consistency in 2025, scoring just 218 runs in 19 T20I innings at an average of 13.62, without a half-century. However, in the opening T20I against New Zealand, he showed positive signs, scoring 32 off 22 balls at a strike rate of 145.45.
This insight comes as India look to fine-tune their top order strategy ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
