Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already done more than enough to spark serious debate over his place in the national T20I setup. The batting prospect has impressed with an aggressive, fearless style in white-ball cricket, but Manjrekar suggested that a Test call-up could take longer, mainly because the competition for opening spots in India is fierce and there is a long queue of batters waiting for their chance.
Sooryavanshi’s current IPL form has only strengthened that argument. In the ongoing season, the teenager has piled up 404 runs across 10 matches, striking at an average of 40.4. Manjrekar pointed out that the IPL is not just about entertainment—it is also a proving ground for players trying to press their claims for the Indian T20 squad. He also highlighted Sooryavanshi’s record in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he has hit a hundred against Maharashtra, adding weight to the idea that his impact is not limited to franchise cricket.
“Looking at IPL as a platform to stake a claim for the Indian T20 team and keeping an eye on his performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well, where he has a hundred [vs Maharashtra], I think he has done enough,” Manjrekar said. “If someone is lighting up this stage like this, then he (Sooryavanshi) is ready. He might be ready, but are the others ready to make way? Because there is a huge crowd for the opening slots in India.”
While praising Sooryavanshi’s ability to carve out scoring opportunities, Manjrekar also cautioned that the same mindset may not translate automatically to the demands of Test cricket. He explained that in T20s, batters can often create space for themselves and then attack decisively, but Tests require a different kind of discipline and shot selection.
“Manjrekar observed that Sooryavanshi is part of the new breed of fearless batters who create room for themselves to manoeuvre. However, the cricketer-turned-commentator warned that the same approach might not work in Test cricket. ‘Take consistent T20 batters in recent years, Sooryavanshi stays leg side and hits a ball on middle stump through point because he creates that room. In Tests, the advice is to get close to the ball,’” he added.
Beyond the debate over formats and selection timelines, Sooryavanshi also has a tantalising personal milestone in sight. He is only six sixes away from surpassing Abhishek Sharma’s record for the most maximums by an Indian batter in a single IPL edition. That mark stands at 42 sixes, a total Abhishek reached during the 2024 season, where he hit 36 fours alongside those 42 maximums.
With that in mind, Sooryavanshi could potentially rewrite the record book during his team’s match against Gujarat Titans on Saturday. If he finds the boundary often enough, he would not only extend his already eye-catching campaign but also move into IPL history as the new benchmark for six-hitting by an Indian batter in one season.
