Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets huge BACKING from former chief selector amid India debut wait

The excitement around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi refuses to die down, even though he is yet to make his senior international debut. Every Indian team announcement, every playing XI and every match now brings the same question from fans – when will the 15-year-old finally get his chance? While the buzz continues to grow outside the dressing room, those within the Indian camp appear to be in no hurry, preferring to introduce the youngster at the right time rather than rushing his development.

Former India captain and ex-chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar has now joined the list of cricket greats who believe Sooryavanshi is destined for big things. The veteran feels the teenager has all the qualities needed to shine once he gets an opportunity in the Indian team.

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Vengsarkar backs Sooryavanshi to make instant impact

Sooryavanshi was not included in India’s playing XI for the opening T20I against Ireland in Belfast despite strong calls from fans and experts for his debut. India eventually suffered a 34-run defeat, which only increased the demand for the teenager’s inclusion in the next match.

However, the Indian team management has made it clear that it does not want to disturb a settled batting order by dropping players who have been performing consistently.

Vengsarkar believes there is no reason to worry because the opportunity will eventually come, and when it does, the youngster will be ready.

“I am sure he will get the opportunity, and once he gets it, he will grab it with both hands because he is a very good player. He is just unbelievable,” Vengsarkar told PTI.

‘His batting is completely different’

The former chief selector was full of praise for Sooryavanshi’s fearless style of batting, saying the teenager possesses qualities rarely seen at such a young age.

Vengsarkar highlighted the youngster’s powerful bat swing and exceptional hand-eye coordination, which have made him one of the most exciting batting prospects in Indian cricket.

“He has tremendous potential. Some of the shots he plays are unreal. His batsmanship is completely different. He can clear the ground with his bat swing and hand-eye coordination. In T20 format, he has been amazing,” he added.

Record-breaking rise continues

Sooryavanshi’s rise over the past year has been nothing short of remarkable.

The left-armer first caught the attention of the cricketing world with his eye-catching performances in the Under-19 World Cup, where he played a vital role in India’s title-winning campaign and scored a century in the final against England. His eye-popping IPL 2026 season added to his credentials as one of India’s brightest young talents. More recently, he created another record while representing India A, smashing 94 off just 29 balls against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla. During that innings, he also registered the fastest List A fifty in cricket history.

These performances eventually earned him his maiden India call-up for the ongoing T20I series in Ireland.

Too early to judge his red-ball future

While Sooryavanshi has already established himself as a dangerous white-ball batter, Vengsarkar feels it is still too soon to predict how he will perform across all three formats.

The former India captain said the teenager needs more opportunities in longer-format cricket before anyone can make a proper assessment.

“It’s very difficult to say because he is currently in the T20 format. I have not seen him play in a longer format. But I’m sure he will do well in that, once picked. We will have to wait and see how he plays in the longer format, which is very important,” he said.

Comparisons with Sachin continue

Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise has naturally led to comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar, who also entered international cricket as a teenager.

The youngster has already rewritten one of Tendulkar’s records by becoming the youngest Indian cricketer to receive a senior international call-up. Although his India debut is still awaited, expectations continue to grow with every passing match.

For now, the Indian team management is showing patience and former players like Vengsarkar believe the wait will be worth it. Whenever Sooryavanshi finally gets the India cap, many believe he has the talent to make a lasting impression straight away.