The fifth and last T20 match is to be played between India and West Indies on Saturday, October 17 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. After four matches, the series is tied at 2-2 and now the team that wins the decisive match will win the trophy. But before this big match, an Instagram story of 15 year old Vaibhav Suryavanshi has created a stir in the cricket world. While sharing his picture, Vaibhav wrote just 2 words, 'Still Believing'. This message of his has raised many questions. Is Vaibhav still hopeful that he will get a place in the playing eleven in the decisive match, or is he giving the message of maintaining his confidence despite continuously sitting on the bench?
Actually, the story of Vaibhav Suryavanshi is no longer limited to just his explosive batting and brilliant talent. Added to this is the challenge of waiting, patience and proving oneself again and again. Fans had high expectations from Vaibhav, who made his debut in international cricket on the England tour. Everyone wanted this young batsman to get continuous opportunities and impress the world with his aggressive batting. However, this did not happen. After just 2 matches, he had to sit out of the playing eleven and Sanju Samson returned in the fifth match.
This was no less than a big blow for Vaibhav, but he did not give up. After this the Indian team reached Zimbabwe tour, where Sanju Samson was not a part of the team. In such a situation, Vaibhav got a chance to showcase his talent again. He took full advantage of this opportunity and performed brilliantly with his bat. His aggressive batting increased the problems of the opposing bowlers and he became one of the most talked about players of the series. On the basis of his brilliant performance, Vaibhav also won the Player of the Series award. It seemed that now his place in the Indian team would be strengthened and he would get a chance to play continuously.
However, after this the story changed once again. Sanju Samson returned in the next series against Afghanistan and Vaibhav had to sit out all three matches. Now the situation against West Indies also looks almost the same. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma are starting the innings of the Indian team. The team management is expressing confidence in this opening pair, in such a situation it is not looking easy for Vaibhav to make a place in the playing eleven.
Indian team's head coach Gautam Gambhir has also made it clear that Vaibhav Suryavanshi will have to wait for his turn. The team management is currently not in favor of tampering with the opening pair, which played an important role in India winning the World Cup. In such a situation, the biggest challenge before Vaibhav at this time is not to face the opposing bowlers, but to maintain patience. Despite having talent, not getting consistent opportunities on a big stage can be challenging for any young player. However, to make a place in the team, along with performance, it is also important to wait for the right time.
The two words written in Vaibhav's Instagram story seem to point towards this wait, although he has not clarified the reason behind his post. Therefore, it is difficult to say whether his message is directly related to not getting a place in the playing eleven or there is some other reason behind it. Nevertheless, his post has definitely started a discussion among the fans. Now all eyes are on the decisive match between India and West Indies. It will be interesting to see whether Vaibhav gets a chance to take the field in this match or he will once again have to sit outside and wait.
Circumstances can change anytime in cricket. Sometimes an opportunity takes a player's career to new heights, while sometimes sitting on the bench for a long time becomes the foundation of a big comeback in the future. Vaibhav Suryavanshi also faces the same challenge. He has to continue his preparation, maintain confidence and prove himself when given a chance. At present, his post 'Still Believing' is leaving the question whether this young batsman's confidence will soon translate into a chance to take the field?