New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane believes the team management should stick with the T20 World Cup-winning top-three combination of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan, while adding that teenaged batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will eventually get his opportunities.

Samson, who was named the Player of the Tournament during India's successful 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, was dropped following a few low scores on the tour of England, where Sooryavanshi was handed his international debut in Manchester.

Samson, after being left out of T20Is against Zimbabwe, as Sooryavanshi took his opening slot, has now been recalled to the squad for the home series against Afghanistan starting at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.

“I feel the top three should be the same that played in the World Cup. Samson has done well, but he got dropped after two or three bad innings. I want him to get another chance. Abhishek and Ishan also did well for us.

“Vaibhav will get his opportunities, and his time will come. But for now, I feel the top three should be Samson, Abhishek, and Ishan, who were our contributors in the World Cup,” Rahane said in a video on his YouTube channel on Friday.

Welcoming Samson's return to the T20I setup, Rahane added, “I am happy to see Sanju Samson back in the team. He was the ‘Man of the Series’ in the World Cup. It has been up and down, and things were happening to him that were not in his control. But he is a match-winner, and his return strengthens the team.”

Offering advice to 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, Rahane urged the young left-hander to stick to his aggressive mindset without overcomplicating his approach at this early stage of his career. “I think he should just play his game right now. He should back the game that led him to come into the Indian team. It is a very early stage for him in his career and in international cricket.

“As of now, there is no need for him to think a lot, and he should be set free. His game will eventually change after two or three years, as much as he keeps playing. It will be important for him to maintain balance. Apart from cricket skills, it is important to stay balanced off the field. That will be a challenge for him.”

Highlighting Sooryavanshi's impressive runs in domestic and franchise cricket, Rahane felt that mental stability will be vital for the teenager's long-term success. “If we talk about cricket skills, we saw how well he batted in the IPL and scored consistently. He scored for India A and also made runs for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy.

“He has shown consistency. The only thing for him will be to stay mentally balanced and stable so that he can continue operating the way he does. Yes, he will have to make some tweaks in his game, but there is time for that,” he concluded.

--IANS

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