New Delhi, May 17, 2026, 20:32 IST
Ravi Shastri’s push to see Vaibhav Sooryavanshi step up to India’s senior T20 squad took on new weight Sunday. Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old opener smashed his way to 43 sixes for the IPL season—no Indian has ever hit more in one year. The record fell at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where Sooryavanshi overtook Abhishek Sharma’s 2024 high of 42, The Times of India said.
The timing is key: India faces two tight selection windows. Sooryavanshi has been picked for the India A squad—essentially the country’s backup side—for a one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka running June 9 through June 21. Immediately after, the senior team heads to Ireland for back-to-back Twenty20 Internationals on June 26 and June 28.
Selectors now face a decision: either keep him on the Sri Lanka A tour for now, or push him into the senior India squad sooner. According to the ICC, Shastri thinks the Ireland series might be where Sooryavanshi makes history as India’s youngest-ever debutant.
“The door would be three-fourths open,” Shastri said to The ICC Review, calling T20 the fastest way for a youngster to prove himself. When the topic shifted to the batter’s age, Shastri didn’t mince words: “I don’t care.” icc
It’s not just hype; production is what’s doing the talking. NDTV’s IPL stats put Sooryavanshi out front with 486 runs and 43 sixes in 12 innings. That’s clear of Mumbai Indians’ Ryan Rickelton and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Abhishek Sharma, both sitting at 37 sixes, and Punjab Kings’ Priyansh Arya with 32. Strike rate—runs per 100 balls—has been just as crucial as sheer totals.
Sooryavanshi’s breakout wasn’t a sudden event this week. The IPL puts his birthdate at March 27, 2011, notes his league debut in 2025, and shows Rajasthan paid 11 million rupees for him ahead of that season. Also on the books: the 101 he hammered off 38 against Gujarat Titans last year, reaching his hundred within just 35 balls.
Rajasthan want to quiet things down around him. Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara says the club’s role is to avoid overloading the teenager and just “let Vaibhav be Vaibhav.” Delhi Capitals assistant coach Ian Bell has praised him as a “scary talent,” though he emphasized young players need to keep finding new ways to grow. The Times of India
The risk here seems plain. A senior team debut means bowlers will have footage and motivation to pick him apart, and a few failures could turn a straightforward narrative into another headache for management. Sangakkara, speaking before the Delhi match, acknowledged Sooryavanshi would face “good days and bad days,” but maintained he had “held his own among seniors.” The Times of India
Arguments have spilled beyond the field. Earlier this month, former England cricketers Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, and Phil Tufnell touched on his power hitting and whether he’s overworked during a podcast. Cook quipped that it’s tough to spot any tiredness when the teenager “only bats 30 balls,” according to Kerala Kaumudi. Kerala Kaumudi
Shastri’s comments have amped up scrutiny on a selection that was already under the microscope. Sooryavanshi comes in with an India A berth, the most sixes in an IPL season, and a brief Ireland stint lined up right after the league. Those might tip the scales from promising to picked.
