The debate around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise shows no signs of slowing down, with calls growing for the 15-year-old to feature in India’s next T20I assignment against Ireland in June. While the prospect of a Test-like trial has attracted plenty of discussion, some former and current voices believe his temperament could also give India a fresh option in the longer format. Days earlier, Aaron Finch had suggested Sooryavanshi could slot neatly into India’s middle order, playing a role likened to Rishabh Pant.
Key takeaways
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is being strongly backed for India selection for the next T20I versus Ireland in June.
- Aaron Finch recently said Sooryavanshi fits the middle-order and could resemble the impact of Rishabh Pant.
- Sooryavanshi made 36 runs off 16 balls against the Gujarat Titans before Rajasthan Royals suffered a 77-run loss.
- Ravichandran Ashwin praised his relentless approach with the bat and urged India to let him develop without added pressure.
- Ashwin said senior players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag should carry the main burden.
- In IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi has 440 runs in 11 matches, including a century, at a strike rate of 236.55 and an average of 40.
Ashwin hails Sooryavanshi’s mindset and role
Sooryavanshi’s latest knock against the Gujarat Titans continued to draw attention, and Ravichandran Ashwin was among the most impressed. The former India spinner highlighted that the youngster appears to be leaving nothing behind, putting maximum intent into every ball he plays.
Ashwin also framed Sooryavanshi’s performances as evidence that the Rajasthan Royals’ batting is, at times, being driven by him almost single-handedly. He noted that while a big score didn’t come against the Titans, the overall result still reflected the gap his team faced, culminating in a heavy 77-run defeat for the hosts.
In Ashwin’s view, the responsibility should not fall on a player his age. Instead, he pointed to experienced names who are better positioned to absorb pressure—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag—while Sooryavanshi should be allowed to bat with freedom and seize early opportunities.
“Let him enjoy his cricket”
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live’, Ashwin backed the idea of letting Sooryavanshi simply play his natural game. He said the youngster is combining everything he has learned and appears ready like a “box-office” talent, adding that there are only a few windows in a player’s career when they can genuinely enjoy cricket. Ashwin argued that at 15, Sooryavanshi is still in one of those rare phases.
He further stressed there is no value in asking Sooryavanshi to do jobs that don’t suit his stage of development. Ashwin referenced the presence of seasoned players around him—including Donovan Ferreira—suggesting the youngster can benefit from experienced guidance without becoming the main carrier of the innings.
Ashwin concluded that if Sooryavanshi can deliver quick starts, then with the batting resources in the Royals’ lineup, the team should be able to convert those beginnings into wins comfortably.
Ashwin says he would welcome Sooryavanshi in Tests
Ashwin then made it clear he would not mind seeing Sooryavanshi tested beyond T20 cricket. He said he wouldn’t mind watching the teenager in a Test match and also expressed interest in him featuring across all three formats, believing that if he is given opportunities on the biggest stages, he could deliver special moments.
He added that the key is getting the youngster onto cricket grounds and ensuring spectators come to watch, because the style of play he is showing suggests he will be entertaining.
Sooryavanshi’s IPL 2026 numbers
Looking at Sooryavanshi’s impact in the IPL 2026 season, Ashwin’s comments align with his current production: he has amassed 440 runs in 11 matches for the Rajasthan Royals, including one century. His form has been backed by a strike rate of 236.55 and an average of 40, with his overall role increasingly becoming central to the Royals’ batting plans.
