Former India cricketer wants BCCI selectors to wait some more time before picking Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the Indian senior team.
Published: May 28, 2026, 5:24 PM IST
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Vaibhav Sooryavashi smashed 97 in IPL 2026 Eliminator vs SRH. (Photo: IANS)
SRH vs RR IPL 2026 Eliminator: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been in extraordinary form in the IPL 2026 season and calls for his inclusion into Team India have been growing stronger everyday. Sooryavanshi became eligible to play for Indian senior cricket team after turning 15 years of age in March this year. The Rajasthan Royals opener is currently the holder of the Orange Cap with 680 in 15 matches so far at a strike-rate of over 242.
Sooryavanshi has been selected in the India ‘A’ squad for a Tri-series to be held in Sri Lanka next month with Afghanistan being the third team. But fans of the 15-year-old prodigy are calling for his inclusion in the Indian T20 team at the earliest, possibly for even the T20I series against England in July.
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But former India cricketer Aakash Chopra called for BCCI selectors to wait before handing a national cap to Sooryavanshi. Speaking on Star Sports show ‘Amul Cricket Live’, JioStar expert Aakash Chopra called for patience with regards to Sooryavanshi since the next T20 World Cup is a couple of years away in 2028.
“We are still two years away from the next World Cup. There is plenty of time. Yes, picking Vaibhav Suryavanshi for India based on his IPL form is an exciting thought. You can’t ignore it because the IPL is India’s top T20 tournament. He is breaking records left and right. You have to take him seriously. He is special, no doubt. But you don’t make changes just for the sake of it,” Chopra said on Star Sports.
“It’s simple. For someone to be dropped, they need to fail. If someone is already a topper in the team, why would you replace them just because someone else scored big runs? Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are those toppers right now. You don’t replace them. If you do, then in two or three years when Vaibhav has a lean patch, the same thing will happen. The next young batter will be pushed in. So, the selectors, Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha, will face pressure. But they must do what is best for Indian cricket. They will make the right call. His India debut doesn’t have to happen tomorrow. It can wait. He is only 15. There is no rush,” Chopra questioned.
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Sooryavanshi smashed a match-winning 97 in 29 balls for RR against Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 Eliminator with 12 sixes and 5 fours to set up his side’s 47-run win on Wednesday. Chopra felt that SRH bowlers, including their captain Pat Cummins looked ‘helpless’ in face of Sooryavanshi’s onslaught.
“Bowlers usually have a plan against Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Pat Cummins started with yorkers, which Vaibhav couldn’t score off initially. But once he got his eye in, nothing worked. The SRH bowlers looked helpless. It felt like they were hit by a tsunami. And when a batter like Vaibhav is in that kind of form, there is very little you can do except watch. SRH have an experienced bowling attack.
“Pat Cummins and Eshan Malinga are world-class bowlers. One of them is a World Cup winner. Cummins tried his best but was left with no answers. Forget Suryavanshi’s age for a moment, just look at the quality. This was one of the best counter-attacking innings by an opener in a long time. Against a good bowling attack, he played with complete control. The bowlers had plans, but those plans failed completely. That is the mark of a special player,” former India opener said.
Aakash Chopra reveals Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s biggest strength
Former Delhi and India batter Aakash Chopra revealed what makes Sooryavanshi such a destructive batter in T20 cricket. “It all starts with Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s backlift. That generates immense power. He has a very solid base at the crease. He mostly likes to hit down the ground or on the leg side, where he can use his bottom hand effectively. But a couple of shots showed his growing maturity, like when he went over covers off a slower ball from Sakib. He held his pose for a moment, paused, and then unleashed. He is reminding us that if you grow up on a T20-only diet, this is the kind of batter you can become.
“Fearlessness is in his DNA. We are astonished by what he has achieved. But in the next five years, we will talk about him breaking his own records. Because he carries no baggage from other formats. Chris Gayle was a phenomenal T20 player, a legend of the game. But he also had a Test triple hundred. Suryavanshi has focused only on T20s. This is what he always wanted to be. He has hit 65 sixes this season. He might reach 70 in the next game. Next season, or the one after, who knows? He could even hit 100 sixes in a single IPL season,” Chopra said.
