The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee appears to have finally taken note of the growing calls from experts, with an early reward likely for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old is reportedly being considered for India’s squad for the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland in June, following the conclusion of IPL 2026.
Should he make his debut, Sooryavanshi would become the youngest player to represent India, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar, who made his international debut at the age of 16.
According to a report in The Indian Express, Sooryavanshi has been shortlisted for the Ireland tour, where India are scheduled to play two matches on June 26 and 28. “He is in contention for the Ireland tour and the selectors have shortlisted his name along with those of many other players,” a BCCI source told the publication.
The reported move reflects the selectors’ intent to fast-track the Rajasthan Royals youngster rather than adopt a wait-and-watch approach, potentially offering him an opportunity against relatively less formidable opposition.
The report further added that a strong showing in Ireland could put Sooryavanshi in line for the subsequent tour of Zimbabwe, where India are set to play three matches between July 23 and 26.
Sooryavanshi has already earned a vote of confidence from former BCCI treasurer and current IPL chairman Arun Dhumal.
“What an amazing batting display by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi this IPL 2026 season. This prodigy certainly deserves to debut for Team India as the youngest, given his performances. It’s rare to find someone so talented at such a young age. He certainly deserves his name to be recorded as India’s youngest debutant,” Dhumal wrote on X.
How Vaibhav’s 2026 showing played a big part
It was in IPL 2025 that Sooryavanshi first burst into the limelight. Months after becoming one of the youngest signings at an IPL auction, with Rajasthan Royals securing him for INR 1.1 crore, the youngster from Bihar offered a glimpse of his talent by smashing a six off Shardul Thakur on the very first ball he faced on debut.
Days later, he lit up the tournament with a stunning 35-ball century against the Gujarat Titans in just his third game.
He spent the rest of the year on Under-19 duty for India, where he piled up runs with a series of brisk fifties and centuries. That run of form first sparked conversations about the BCCI potentially fast-tracking the prodigy into the senior setup for the next T20 World Cup cycle.
Those calls only grew louder after his explosive 80-ball 175 against England in the Under-19 World Cup final earlier this week, the highest individual score in a final, which powered India to a record sixth title.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was left stunned by the knock and later joined the growing chorus urging the BCCI to consider Sooryavanshi. His comments came after the 15-year-old struck a match-winning 52 off just 17 balls against Chennai Super Kings in Rajasthan’s IPL 2026 opener.
“When will he make his Indian debut? I know we’re probably getting ahead of ourselves — it’s only the first innings of the IPL — but there’s a white-ball tour to England in a few months’ time. If I were Indian cricket, I would get him on that tour,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz.
What may have pushed the BCCI away from taking the longer route with Sooryavanshi was his fearless hitting against top-tier bowlers. He nonchalantly smashed Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the best T20 bowler in the world, for two sixes in five balls, including one off the very first delivery.
If that wasn’t enough, he took on Josh Hazlewood in the game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, scoring 19 runs in an over, including three boundaries and a six off consecutive deliveries. He followed that up with back-to-back sixes against Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Whether it was Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh or several other former cricketers, the message to the BCCI was unanimous — pick Sooryavanshi for the Indian team after the IPL season — as they gushed over the youngster.
