Is making Vaibhav Sooryavanshi wait the right call? India wrestle with a selection dilemma around their 15-year-old batting prodigy

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's talent is undeniable, but with Samson and Abhishek settled, India face a delicate call over when to unleash the 15-year-old prodigy.

MUMBAI: It is a comparison, however unfair it may be, that every young talented young Indian batter eventually faces. If you are good, someone will bring up Sachin Tendulkar.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays a shot during the second semifinal between India and Sri Lanka at the 2026 Asian Games. (PTI)

There are reasons related to quality and class but mostly it comes down to hope; hope that the young batter could match the feats of the Indian legend, who was never dropped after playing his first game at the age of 16 years and 238 days.

Indian cricket is buzzing these days thanks to another teenager. At 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is seen as the next big thing in Indian cricket. It is clear to almost everyone watching that the kid is something special but for now he is being made to wait for his chance.

Sooryavanshi has been part of the India T20 team for some time now, but the management has currently backed the well-settled opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.

Samson appears to be the vulnerable candidate, yet he won India the 2026 T20 World Cup with three match-winning innings at the tournament's business end.

There's nothing wrong with the approach but given Sooryavanshi's form, is making him wait the right choice?

While there are many good batters, match-winners are a rare commodity. At the age group and India A level, Sooryavanshi has shown the rare quality of being an impact player.

In his last innings as an uncapped player in June 2026, Sooryavanshi scored the fastest fifty in List A cricket, off just 11 balls, on his way to a 29-ball 94 in India A's 377/9 in a tri-series final against Sri Lanka A. In the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup final in February, played in Harare, Sooryavanshi smashed 175 runs off 80 balls to lead India Under-19 to victory. His Indian Premier League career began with a bang, and he was blooded into the India T20 team this season.

Former India captain and chief selector, Dilip Vengsarkar, says it is a win-win situation for the T20 side as so much competition keeps everyone on their toes.

“There’s a lot of competition in the top order, apart from Samson, Abhishek and Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill also there. It’s a healthy thing, everybody has to be in top form (to stake a claim). (Who will play) Depends on the situation, who is fit and in form,” says Vengsarkar.

Subroto Banerjee, who like Sooryavanshi also played his cricket for Bihar and was part of the India side, along with a young Tendulkar, on tours to Australia (1991-92) and South Africa (1992-93), says the teenage sensation has talent for all formats but comparisons with Tendulkar are unfair.

“You can’t compare Sachin with anyone, Kambli was also there with Sachin but the two had completely different mindsets. Sachin was super focused. Sachin was a product of long format, and Sooryavanshi has gained recognition by doing well in the shot format.

“Sooryavanshi has a wide, unique range of shots. T20 comes easy to him. He should be kept in the T20 set-up, and at the same time, he should be groomed in domestic red-ball cricket.”

Chandrakant Pandit, one of India’s top coaches, says Sooryavanshi has proved himself against the best bowlers in the world in the IPL. But dropping Samson presents a genuine dilemma.

“I have seen him in the IPL, Sooryavanshi has dominated top-class bowlers," said Pandit. "Once you pick him, back him the, give him opportunity till it is clear whether he can cope or he can’t. He definitely has the ability to dominate. We have to back his skills."

Pandit added: “Samson and Abhishek have proved themselves and are in good form; it shouldn’t be an injustice to them either."

Former India batter Pravin Amre, who also had a stint as Delhi Capitals assistant coach, said the team management is cautious with the young player because of his struggles in his debut series in England this summer. Sooryavanshi scored 14, 13 and 15 in his first three innings as India lost all three T20I games against England.

“They made him play in England when Sanju was dropped but the fact is India lost the series in England, so the team management is also careful. Had India won, the story would have been different,” said Amre. “We know he is talented, but ultimately performance counts, which is good for the Indian team as well. Otherwise we are giving him 10-15 chances just like that. He knows now that he has to perform, it will help him in the longer run."

Amre observed that this is probably the best way to groom a talented player. “Right now they are mixing up, they are giving him opportunities also. They played him in the final of the Asian Games. He is getting the feel of the big stage also. He is getting there.”