Questions continue to surround Vaibhav Sooryavanshi‘s wait for his senior India debut, but BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) Vice-President Rajeev Shukla has thrown his support behind the team management, insisting that the 15-year-old prodigy will get his chance at the appropriate time. The left-hander forced his way into the senior squad after a stunning IPL (Indian Premier League) 2026 season, amassing 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.31.
Despite his explosive form, Sooryavanshi is still awaiting his first international appearance, having remained an unused member of the squad during the T20I series against Ireland and the rain-affected opening game against England.
India have instead persisted with the top-order trio of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, a combination that has delivered consistent returns during the T20 World Cup 2026 earlier this year. The think tank, comprising head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shreyas Iyer, has repeatedly maintained that there is little reason to alter the batting order, stressing that Sooryavanshi’s opportunity will come in due course.
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And Shukla backed the rationale, saying Sooryavanshi will get his opportunity at the right time.
“We are also of the view that he is a very talented player, and he showcased that during the IPL. I have seen several comments against the team management and the coaches, but I want to make it very clear that the coach and captain will make the final decision. They are looking at the situation, and whenever the right opportunity arises, they will definitely give him his chance,” Shukla told Times Now.
“So, such decisions should be left to the wisdom of the team management. I don’t know why such unnecessary comments are being made about it,” he added.
Chorus grows
Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri and Mohammad Kaif are some of the names who have batted for Sooryavanshi’s inclusion in the playing XI. However, the team management looks determined to give both Samson and Abhishek a long run before making the change.
Samson is under the pump after the recent low scores against Ireland and England, and it remains to be seen how long of a rope he gets. Ahead of the second T20I against England, India bowling coach Morne Morkel stated that handing Sooryavanshi a debut isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
“Look, I don’t think there are a lot of factors. I think we just need to also respect the fact that we’ve got the number one batter in T20 cricket, Abhishek Sharma. Sanju was the Player of the World Cup. He had a great IPL. So I think as a coaching staff, it’s only fair to show faith and back your players,” Morkel told reporters.
“Yes, there’s a young man knocking on the door, and it’s exciting, but I reckon for not just those two players at the top, but for the rest of the group, it’s a good sign that we show that we back you guys. It’s about putting performances on the board; that is key. But also, if you look at it, we also don’t want to think too much and bat other players out of positions. So I reckon it’s not a straightforward decision, ‘OK, let’s play’. It’s a matter of backing some of the guys who’ve won World Cups, who’ve done really well for you in tough situations, and then also from there, build and see how we can structure and make our top-order model as good as possible in these conditions,” he added.
