Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rise has sparked fresh debate about how quickly India should integrate its brightest young batting talent, with former India batter Kris Srikkanth pushing for the teenager to be moved into the national pathway without delay.
Srikkanth urges rapid India call-up
Speaking in an interview, Srikkanth backed the idea of fast-tracking the 15-year-old and urged the BCCI chairman Ajit Agarkar to consider including him in the setup at the earliest opportunity. Srikkanth said he has been “blown away” by the fearless style the youngster has been showing, a brand of batting that has already drawn major attention since his IPL debut last year—particularly this season, where he has looked dominant against top-class pacers including Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood.
- Srikkanth told Agarkar that Sooryavanshi should be rushed into India’s plans for the next international series.
- He argued that the correct approach would be to first bring him into the group of 15 players, allowing him to understand the team environment and the demands of international cricket, rather than insisting on an immediate spot in the playing XI.
- Srikkanth added that the youngster could even have been considered earlier, claiming he felt Sooryavanshi should have been advanced even up to the T20 World Cup squad.
The former chief selector also referenced the way Sooryavanshi has been taking on elite bowling, saying the batter’s ability to play daring shots is not just impressive—it can directly swing matches in India’s favour.
Impact moments versus elite pace
Srikkanth pointed to specific examples from IPL action to make his case, highlighting how Sooryavanshi has targeted top bowlers with confidence.
- He recalled that Sooryavanshi struck Bumrah for two sixes off five balls earlier.
- He also noted a spell in which Sooryavanshi went after Hazlewood, taking 19 runs in an over during Rajasthan Royals’ game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati.
With those performances in mind, Srikkanth dismissed the idea that the teenager should be handled with a slower, more cautious development plan. He said there is “no question” of waiting for consistency before giving him a platform, insisting that Sooryavanshi already has the match-winning impact required at the highest level.
“He’s a prodigy,” Srikkanth added, stressing that Sooryavanshi is not intimidated by the identity of the bowler and can deliver from ball one—an attribute he believes separates exceptional prospects from the rest.
‘Next demigod’ comparison to Sachin
Srikkanth then went a step further by drawing a comparison that is rarely made in Indian cricket. He said he personally saw Sachin Tendulkar up close during the debut tour in 1989, when Tendulkar was a teenage prodigy, and suggested Sooryavanshi could follow a comparable trajectory.
- Srikkanth referenced the 1989 period when he went as captain and witnessed a 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar emerge as a prodigy.
- He said Tendulkar went on to become the “God of Cricket,” and argued that Sooryavanshi could potentially become cricket’s next “demigod.”
Expected pathway after IPL 2026
As things stand, Sooryavanshi is reportedly on track to earn an India debut after the IPL 2026 season. A report indicates that he has been included in a 35-man list of probables for India’s upcoming T20I assignments. The same reporting suggests the wait could end during the tour of Ireland in June.
