Team India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak cannot wait to work with the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the youngster was named in the senior squad for the upcoming series against Ireland and England. Last week, Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the selection committee, confirmed that Sooryavanshi forced himself into the squad owing to his fantastic performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 for the Rajasthan Royals, where he scored 776 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 237.31.
Sooryavanshi won multiple awards and also broke several records throughout the season, including the most sixes in a single season of the IPL, surpassing Chris Gayle. This swashbuckling show made it impossible for the selectors to overlook him for the upcoming few T20I assignments, including the Asian Games.
Kotak was full of praise for the left-hander, saying there's no doubt about the immense talent Sooryavanshi has, and it's really exciting to watch how the 15-year-old goes about his business day in and day out.
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"See, as a batting coach or any coach, it’s always a challenge because at this level the players have their own thinking, their own style, their own way they have succeeded. And then, you try to add something, it always takes time, it always takes trust for them to believe. And for me, it is so important how much you want to add and when you want to add,” Kotak told reporters after India’s win over Afghanistan in the one-off Test.
{{/usCountry}}"See, as a batting coach or any coach, it’s always a challenge because at this level the players have their own thinking, their own style, their own way they have succeeded. And then, you try to add something, it always takes time, it always takes trust for them to believe. And for me, it is so important how much you want to add and when you want to add,” Kotak told reporters after India’s win over Afghanistan in the one-off Test.
{{/usCountry}}“I have seen a couple of innings in the U19 Challenger Trophy. But from last year’s IPL and the way he bats, the way he executes those shots, it’s really exciting to be very honest for a 15-year-old. And to all the world-class bowlers, the way he has faced and the way he has succeeded is unbelievable, how talented he is," he added.
‘Let him come’
However, Kotak is not going ahead with any pre-conceived notions as he stated that he would first like to find out what exactly helps Sooryavanshi and then only he would like to give him tips to improve.
"So, I am really excited. But personally, we let him come; let’s see what actually helps him. Whenever we observe something, we will definitely try to help him only as much as he needs,” said Kotak.
Speaking of Sooryavanshi, he announced himself in the IPL last year by becoming the youngest batter to score an IPL hundred when he achieved the feat against the Gujarat Titans. The teenager then went on a run-scoring spree in Youth ODIs for India 19, and it all culminated with him smashing 175 in U-19 Cricket World Cup final against England.
Recently, Sooryavanshi had also given an insight into his mindset, saying he doesn't just want to play cricket, rather he wants to dominate the sport for the next 15 to 20 years.