It took just one match for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to once again become the most talked-about Indian cricketer. If Day 1 and Day 2 of the 2026 Indian Premier League belonged to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Day 3, Monday, was all about India’s rising teen sensation Sooryavanshi, who proved yet again why it could be the right time for the BCCI to reward him for his consistency and present him with an India cap. This is arguably the first time that fans want an Indian cricketer to make his international debut more than the player himself. Then again, why not? After all, a talent like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hasn’t been seen in decades.
Sooryavanshi began IPL 2026 where he left off the last season – with a bang. Against the Chennai Super Kings, Sooryavanshi blasted a 15-ball fifty, celebrating his 15th birthday. So yeah, while the time seems ripe for Sooryavanshi to earn his India cap, Ambati Rayudu raises a point that cannot be ignored. As promising and talented as Sooryavanshi is, the former India batter believes there are other players too, who are not only deserving but also ahead of Sooryavanshi in the pecking order.
“I think definitely the T20 format [for his maiden call-up]. If he has a very good IPL and if he shows that he has the ability to keep calm under pressure… because, don’t forget, our Indian team is a world champion team. It’s won the T20 World Cup. So to replace somebody in that side is not easy. To me, there are a few players ahead of him at the moment, because you tend to pick and build your teams ahead of the next ICC competition,” Rayudu said on ESPNCricinfo.
“There are enough cricketers who have been consistently doing well. So he is definitely in the race if I was the selector. But at the moment, there are a lot of guys who have been consistent for the last two or three years.”
Sooryavanshi sparks debate
As if Sooryavanshi hadn’t triggered the debate about his selection before, after last night’s heroics, it’s almost as if new floodgates opened. Michael Vaughan wants BCCI to take Sooryavanshi to England for India’s white-ball tour in July, while Ravichandran Ashwin has urged to give the youngster a break. Vaughan’s thoughts were echoed by India’s World Cup-winning spinner, Piyush Chawla, although Rayudu called for a restrained approach on that thought.
“He looks a cut above a lot of youngsters in the country, and he’s a talent that will definitely do wonders for Indian cricket. I don’t know when, but definitely in the future. The way he has been batting and the freedom with which he has been batting, it’s a great testament to the fact that [RRs] management has been doing a wonderful job, not complicating things for him. And his shot-making – the ease with which he’s been taking on bowlers is unbelievable at this age,” added Rayudu.
