Fifteen-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is poised to be named in India’s T20 squad, according to reports from AFP. The decision comes as the selection committee meets on Saturday to finalize the side for upcoming series in Ireland and England. Sooryavanshi had a stellar Indian Premier League season for Rajasthan Royals, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 776 runs, including one hundred and five half-centuries.
The young left-handed opener is now in line to become the youngest debutant in the history of Indian cricket. While batting great Sachin Tendulkar made his Test debut at sixteen years and two hundred and five days, Sooryavanshi could set a new benchmark for youth. His inclusion follows a season where he was named the most valuable player and emerged as the player of the season, showcasing consistency that is rare for someone of his age. He has also been included in the thirty-member probables list for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.
The potential squad selection coincides with a likely change in leadership for the T20 team. Current skipper Suryakumar Yadav is expected to be removed from the captaincy following a significant slump in form. Nearly three months after leading India to World Cup glory on home soil, Yadav struggled throughout the tournament and had a dismal IPL campaign, averaging just over twenty runs per innings. With his team finishing near the bottom of the table, calls for a fresh approach have grown louder among cricket insiders.
Shreyas Iyer is considered the front-runner to replace Yadav as captain. Having led the Kolkata Knight Riders to the title in 2024 and maintained success with the Punjab Kings in subsequent seasons, Iyer brings both experience and a winning pedigree. Other contenders for the leadership role include Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma. The final decision rests with the selectors, who are expected to announce the squad in Mumbai over the weekend. As Indian cricket looks toward a transitional phase, the focus remains on balancing veteran experience with the injection of young talent like Sooryavanshi.
