If the hype wasn’t already there, the noise has only grown louder. A thundering 17-ball 52 that single-handedly crushed Chennai Super Kings’ hopes on Monday in Guwahati triggered a familiar chorus, with calls growing for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to fast-track Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into India’s white-ball setup after IPL 2026.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 17-ball 52 against Chennai Super Kings' (REUTERS)
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A year after his breakthrough IPL season, where he smashed a historic 35-ball century, and just weeks after his heroics in the U-19 World Cup final, Vaibhav only amplified the India narrative with a 15-ball half-century against the five-time champions at the Barsapara Stadium.
While Ravichandran Ashwin was left in awe of the youngster’s brute force, he also issued a word of caution, urging fans and experts not to pile pressure on him or set premature targets of an India call-up.
“Don’t give him such a target. He is not even a guy, he is a kid. If MS Dhoni is playing till 45 [44], and if Sooryavanshi plays till 40, he has two and a half decades left in cricket. Leave him alone, he will come on his own when the time is right. He is too good to not play for India. He will play anyway eventually. When will he play? For that, we might have to wait a bit. Why are we always in a hurry?” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
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“Don’t give him such a target. He is not even a guy, he is a kid. If MS Dhoni is playing till 45 [44], and if Sooryavanshi plays till 40, he has two and a half decades left in cricket. Leave him alone, he will come on his own when the time is right. He is too good to not play for India. He will play anyway eventually. When will he play? For that, we might have to wait a bit. Why are we always in a hurry?” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
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Vaibhav’s knock included five sixes and four boundaries as he single-handedly dismantled the Chennai bowling attack, leaving them with no answers.
“He turned 15 years old, so he scored a 15-ball 50, he is showing his age. I mean, what a player he is? How fast is his bat speed? CSK had no answers against him, they looked a flat, deflated unit on the field. RR have put on such a dominating performance that they have said, ‘Look at us, we are also a powerful team in this competition’,” Ashwin added.
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Rajasthan Royals will next face Gujarat Titans on April 4 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India call-up chatter deemed reckless, unnecessary: ‘Leave him alone; what’s the hurry?’
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