The next big thing: Does Vaibhav Suryavanshi feature in India's T20I Plans?

Shreyasi

Vaibhav Suryavanshi [Source: X/@SDhawan25]Vaibhav Suryavanshi [Source: X/@SDhawan25]

Over the years, Indian cricket has seen the emergence of many talented youngsters and teenagers in both domestic and international competitions. There were Vijay Mehra during the 1950s, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Maninder Singh in the early 1980s, and the greatest of them all, Sachin Tendulkar, in 1989. All of these wonder boys made their international debut for India well before reaching their 18th birthday.

Tendulkar, the youngest Indian to make Test debut is fifth in the list of youngest international debutants- a list dominated by players from Pakistan, making his debut as a 16 year 205 days old against Pakistan.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi's rapid growth in last two years

Recently, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has gained attention for his impressive batting in age-group and India-A matches. Although he will only turn 15 next March, his impact on Indian cricket is already significant.

The youngster coming from Bihar made his mark from a very early age and started representing the Bihar Under-19 team when he was barely 12 years old. He debuted in Ranji for Bihar in January 2024 at the age of 12 years 284 days.

Later in the year, he played his first youth Test for the Indian Under-19 team against Australia Under-19 and scored a sensational hundred in just 58 balls in his debut match. He became the youngest player to score an international century at the Under-19 level.

The IPL and so on

Vaibhav Suryavanshi in IPL [Source: X/@M_Raj03]Vaibhav Suryavanshi in IPL [Source: X/@M_Raj03]

Suryavanshi entered the 2024 IPL auction with a base price of INR 30 Lakhs. Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals bid for him, with the Royals ultimately securing his services for INR 1.10 Crore, making him the youngest player ever picked in IPL.

It looked like a good investment by the Royals for the future, but due to an injury to captain Sanju Samson, Suryavanshi debuted against Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025. He hit a six off his first ball in the IPL and gave the world a glimpse of his grand arrival. Later that season, he became the youngest man to score a T20 hundred, reaching his century in just 35 balls – second fastest in IPL history.

In 2025, Suryavanshi scored centuries against England and Australia Under-19 teams, with some astounding strike rates. He became vice-captain of the Bihar Ranji team and made 93 against Meghalaya before joining India A for the Emerging Asia Cup in Qatar. In his first match, he hit 144 off just 42 balls versus UAE – the joint third fastest century by an Indian in Men’s T20 and top-scored against Pakistan.

With his recent form, there is already a buzz around his international cricket debut. But should India fast-track him in the Indian team so early?

Indian cricket team in upcoming T2OI World Cup: The bigger picture

Suryavanshi is set to be a part of the Under-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia in January next year. Media and fans have already started speculating about his international debut, thanks to Suryavanshi’s explosive form and rapid rise in recent times.

For the Indian selectors, it is a happy headache, especially with the Indian team gearing up for the upcoming T20 World Cup at home in February next year. There is no doubt that the BCCI has a clear intent to mature his game at a higher level and Suryavanshi is currently in the final phase of the pipeline. But is he ready for the senior cap yet?

However, the current Indian T20 team looks balanced and sorted and is arguably the best in the world at present. Even a player like Sanju Samson, with three T20I hundreds, is already warming the bench. Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill are set at the top of the order with Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and others taking care of the middle order.

Conclusion

India will play 10 more T20 internationals leading to the tournament, with 5 each against South Africa and New Zealand. The coach Gautam Gambhir would not like to tinker much with the squad that won the Asia Cup in September unless there are injury scares.

For Suryavanshi, it would be best to boost his prospects with a win in the Under-19 World Cup and a strong IPL performance. These will eventually help him secure a call-up for India's white-ball tour of England, scheduled for next year, even before he turns 16.