Sooryavanshi in line for T20 call as India fast-track 15-year-old to top | Cricket News
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Poised for Historic T20 Selection
Published: June 5, 2026
In a noteworthy development following the Indian Premier League (IPL), 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is expected to be included in India’s T20 squad. Should he secure a spot, he would become the youngest player to debut for the national team.
Sooryavanshi earned attention as a top performer for the Rajasthan Royals, amassing 776 runs during the IPL season, which included a century and five half-centuries. His impressive performance has positioned him as a leading candidate for a T20 series in Ireland, followed by another in England.
The young left-handed opener’s ascent comes at a time when current captain Suryakumar Yadav faces potential removal from his leadership role. Selectors are set to convene on Saturday to make their final decisions.
In addition to his T20 prospects, Sooryavanshi has been selected for a 30-member preliminary squad for the Asian Games scheduled in Japan this September and October. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the IPL season and received the Orange Cap for being the highest run-scorer, along with the Emerging Player award.
Yadav, who led India to a World Cup victory just three months prior, has struggled with his performance, scoring 242 runs in nine innings during the tournament. His most notable innings was an unbeaten 84 against the United States. In the IPL, Yadav managed only 270 runs across 13 innings, culminating in a ninth-place finish for the Mumbai Indians.
Reports suggest that Suryakumar may be replaced as captain by Shreyas Iyer, who has significant IPL experience, including leading the Kolkata Knight Riders to a championship in 2024 and the Punjab Kings to a runners-up position in 2025. Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma are also considered potential candidates for the captaincy.
The selectors are set to announce the upcoming T20 squad in Mumbai over the weekend.
