"Almost forced us to pick": BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi getting India call-up
Mumbai, June 6
BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar said teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's performances left the selectors with little choice but to include him in India's squad for the T20I series against England and Ireland and the Asian Games.
Sooryavanshi, who was named in the Indian cricket squad, became the youngest-ever player to be picked for the national side, breaking a 36-year-old record held by legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Tendulkar had made his India debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16, setting a record that stood for a very long time.
Speaking during the squad announcement, Agarkar said Sooryavanshi had effectively earned his place through his performances despite being at an early stage of his career.
"I think his performances, as I said before, he's almost forced us to pick him with how well he's played. I know his age and how young he is and how early in his career, but like I said, two IPL's (2025 and 2026) in a row, and we know what he was doing at the under-19 levels. We can all see what kind of talent he has, and we're hopeful that if he gets an opportunity to actually play for the country, he shows the same sort of ability that he's shown," Agarkar said.
The chief selector acknowledged that international cricket would present a tougher test for the youngster but expressed confidence in his ability and temperament.
"There obviously will be tougher challenges when you play for your country, but he's shown great promise and temperament, so we're all very hopeful, and I think he's picked himself through his performances. It's always deliberate because, like the question before, there's so much talent around, especially when it comes to T20 cricket at this point, but it tells you a lot that you know his performances have made us pick him, and we're very hopeful," Agarkar added.
The Bihar-born sensation spearheaded a clean sweep at the tournament's post-season awards, capturing an unprecedented haul including Most Valuable Player (MVP), Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker, the Orange Cap, and Super Sixes of the Season.
The 15-year-old had an extraordinary tournament for Rajasthan Royals (RR), finishing as the highest run-scorer with 776 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 237.30. Sooryavanshi's consistent performances, including a record-breaking 72 sixes, helped him surpass several long-standing IPL records and establish himself as one of the most promising talents in Indian cricket during the 2026 season.
Playing for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), the young southpaw systematically dismantled elite bowling attacks across the country, setting blistering new benchmarks for T20 cricket.
India will play Ireland in two T20Is in Belfast on June 26 and 28, followed by five T20Is in England from July 1 to 11.
The men's cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games will be played in the T20 format, running from September 24 to October 3. A total of 10 teams, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Oman, will battle for the gold medal.
The tournament will begin with the preliminary qualifying stage from September 24 to 26, before progressing to the quarter-finals on September 28 and 29. The semi-finals are scheduled for October 1, while both the bronze-medal playoff and the gold-medal final will be held on October 3.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Agarkar sahab is absolutely right—when a player performs like this, you can't ignore them no matter what age they are. 72 sixes in one IPL season! That's madness. But I worry about burnout at such a young age. Hope the BCCI has a proper plan for his workload management. Remember what happened to some young talents who were rushed into the national team?
Finally, the selectors are backing bold talent! For years we played safe—picking players after years of domestic grind when their peak was over. Sooryavanshi is a breath of fresh air. But one concern: T20 runs against fast bowlers are different from facing Ireland's swing or England's seam. Let's see how he adapts.
Mother of all talent right here! 🙏 From Bihar to breaking Sachin's record—he's a true Bharat legend in the making. But I honestly feel the Asian Games selection is a bit premature. Let the kid play domestic red-ball cricket first, build technique for all formats. T20 is fine, but Tests make champions. Hope the BCCI doesn't rush him.
As a cricket fan from Australia, I've been following this kid's progress. 237 strike rate is phenomenal, no question. But I hope Indian fans realize that IPL success doesn't always translate to international cricket. Remember Prithvi Shaw? He also had a fairy-tale start. The real test begins now. Good luck to this young talent though! 🤞
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