There’s little doubt that Vaibhav Suryavanshi is a generational talent. Some might even suggest that he’s perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime cricketer. His resume certainly validates this. Suryavanshi has already been likened to Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, two of the greatest to grace the sport.
At 14, he struck the second-fastest hundred in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Started his IPL career with a six. Struck the joint third fastest half-century in the league just 2 days ago. All of this perfectly coincides with him becoming eligible to play for the India cricket team, as he turned 15 on March 27, 2026.
Push to fast-track Vaibhav Suryavanshi
His coming of age, in the literal sense, commenced this debate on whether it’s time for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to fast-track the 15-year-old, handing him his maiden India call-up. The recent announcement of India’s tour of Zimbabwe, in July, has many convinced that it will be perfect for Suryavanshi to represent the national team.
“When will he make his Indian debut? And I’m just looking, and I know we’re probably getting ahead of ourselves. It’s only the first innings of the IPL, but there’s a white-ball tour to England in a few months’ time. And if I were an Indian cricketer, I would get him on that tour,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz after his 15-ball fifty.
Why it might not be the best idea
However, it isn’t as simple. You see, gaining fame and handling the pressure of international sport isn’t easy. There have been many examples of this. Jennifer Capriati is one such example. The retired tennis player remains the youngest-ever player to reach the top 10, at age 14 years and 235 days. Yet, less than 4 years later, she was arrested for drug possession.
Fame is a slippery slope. Handling it, especially as a teenager, can get out of hand in a jiffy. You don’t want Suryavanshi to become a case of ‘what if’ years down the line. You don’t want him to push him into international cricket. Not yet. Sachin Tendulkar may have done it in 1989, but it’s 2026 now. The world has changed. There was no social media back then. The money has multiplied at such an astronomical rate that one can’t even fathom it. Suryavanshi’s already a millionaire.
Ashwin, in agreement
Ravichandran Ashwin doesn’t understand why there’s such a push to fast-forward the 15-year-old. Just by hearing him talk, one can understand that Suryavanshi doesn’t understand the highs and lows of cricket. Including IPL, he’s played just 35 matches at the highest level. Ashwin believes people, and Suryavanshi must wait longer; he has over 2 decades to play for India.
“Don’t give him such a target. He is not even a man; he is a kid. If MS Dhoni is playing until 45 [44], and if Suryavanshi plays until 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 not to 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?” he said on his YouTube channel.
Last October, Zubin Bharucha, Rajasthan Royals’ Director of High Performance, had suggested that the BCCI fast-track Suryavanshi to the India A team. Now, that one can still understand. That happened, with Suryavanshi playing in the Rising Stars Asia Cup.
However, he doesn’t seem to be in the scheme of things just yet. As things stand, it’s safe to assume that the BCCI won’t hand him his India debut just yet. And right now, it seems like the right call.
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