Former India opener and chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth has made a powerful plea to the national cricket establishment, urging them to accelerate the inclusion of teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi into the senior Indian team. Drawing a bold parallel, Srikkanth compared the youngster's rapid ascent to the early career of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
A Call for Bold Selection
Srikkanth argued that the national selectors must demonstrate courage and back rare talent at an early stage, rather than adopting a cautious wait-and-watch approach. He emphasized that Suryavanshi has already displayed a level of maturity and performance that warrants immediate promotion. The former captain highlighted the batter's seamless progression through various age-group levels and his growing dominance in domestic tournaments as clear indicators of his readiness.
The core of Srikkanth's argument rests on Suryavanshi's temperament, technical solidity, and an aggressive mindset to overpower bowling attacks. He pointed out that, much like Tendulkar who debuted for India at 16, Suryavanshi has consistently succeeded against older, more experienced opponents and has adapted swiftly to higher standards of competition.
Record-Breaking Feat Fuels the Buzz
The 17-year-old batter recently catapulted himself into the national spotlight with a breathtaking innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Suryavanshi hammered an unbeaten 190 runs from a mere 84 balls, setting a new record as the youngest player to score a List A century. His innings was a spectacle of raw power and fearless intent, featuring 15 sixes. He reached his hundred in just 36 deliveries, completely dismantling the opposition's bowling plan and amplifying the excitement around his potential.
On his YouTube channel 'Cheeky Cheeka', Srikkanth doubled down on his support. "Vaibhav is scoring centuries everywhere, be it the IPL, U19, anywhere," Srikkanth stated. He acknowledged the quality of opposition but stressed the consistency of the batter's performances. "This boy has been hammering everybody across all kinds of matches. I had told last year also that they should fast-track him for the T20 World Cup. Maybe it is too late for that now, but they still fast-track him into the team. This boy has got tremendous potential," he asserted.
By the Numbers: A Compelling Case
The statistics from Suryavanshi's youth career provide a formidable backbone to Srikkanth's advocacy. In 15 Youth One-Day Internationals, the right-hander boasts an impressive average of 51.13. He has scored two centuries and three half-centuries at this level, but the most striking figure is his staggering strike rate of 158.79, underscoring his ability to score rapidly.
Srikkanth directly addressed the conservative viewpoint that the teenager needs more time in domestic cricket. He dismissed such caution by reiterating that exceptional talent deserves early faith, using Tendulkar's career path as the ultimate precedent. "People say let him play for some more time, let him do this, let him do that. Sachin also played at such a young age. Of course, he played for India after scoring hundreds at all levels, but the same thing can be done for this boy in white-ball cricket," Srikkanth concluded, putting the ball firmly in the court of the current selection committee and the BCCI.
