Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has thrown his weight behind teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, suggesting that the young opener could make his senior India debut as early as next month. Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri urged the national selectors to fast-track the Rajasthan Royals prodigy into the T20I squad, with the upcoming tour of Ireland in June seen as the perfect platform.
Shastri backs immediate promotion
Shastri was emphatic that Sooryavanshi has already done enough to earn an opportunity at the highest level. He said, “The door would be three-fourths open. If you want to encourage or get someone young into the setup as quickly as possible, then it’s the T20 format. He is not short by any margin.”
The former coach dismissed concerns about the teenager’s age, stating, “A lot of people will ask, is he 15, is he 16, is he 14? I don’t care. I just see the way he is batting at the moment and the way he’s taking on all comers twice his age or maybe two and a half times his age. It doesn’t matter to him.”
Sooryavanshi’s stunning IPL form
Sooryavanshi’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. After helping India win the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, the left-hander has taken the IPL by storm, amassing 440 runs in 11 innings for Rajasthan Royals at a staggering strike rate of 236.56. His season includes a breathtaking 36-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad, two half-centuries, and a tournament-leading 40 sixes.
Shastri believes the youngster could walk into many international sides right now. “This guy can walk into a lot of sides in world cricket at this current moment. Just look at the exuberance of youth, and that youth shows on his face,” he said.
India A call-up adds momentum
The calls for Sooryavanshi’s senior debut have grown louder following his India A selection for the tri-series in Sri Lanka in June, which also features Afghanistan. A strong showing there could fast-track his path to the national team. Shastri urged the selectors to act immediately, saying, “So I think he’s very, very much in the reckoning. And when you have tours of Ireland and all this happening now, I would be looking into him straight away.”
With the Ireland T20Is scheduled for June, Shastri’s prediction could soon become a reality if Sooryavanshi continues his explosive form.
