Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has called for patience and understanding towards 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who recently received a historic call-up to the Indian national team. Speaking at a Kabuni event at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, Ganguly emphasized the need to allow the young cricketer to develop naturally amidst growing attention.
Historic Selection
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named Sooryavanshi in the national squads for the upcoming European tour, making him the youngest player ever selected for the Indian men's team. He broke a 36-year-old record previously held by Sachin Tendulkar, who debuted against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16.
Ganguly's Advice
"We should let him be, he is only 15 years old right now. I don't think he will think too much about the pressure. We have seen him play in the IPL, but the pressure of playing for India is different," Ganguly said in a video shared by Kabuni and Me Biz Team. He urged fans and experts to give Sooryavanshi the space to grow without undue expectations.
IPL 2026 Heroics
Sooryavanshi earned his maiden national call-up after a sensational Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals. The left-handed batter emerged as the tournament's highest run-scorer, amassing 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30. His explosive season included a record 72 sixes, rewriting several IPL records and cementing his status as one of Indian cricket's brightest prospects.
The Bihar-born batter dominated the post-season awards, sweeping the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker, Orange Cap, and Super Sixes of the Season honours. Representing Rajasthan Royals, he consistently dismantled some of the world's top bowling attacks with fearless strokeplay.
Upcoming Fixtures
India's immediate assignment will be a two-match T20I series against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28, followed by a five-match T20I series in England from July 1 to 11. The teenager is also in line to feature at the 2026 Asian Games, where the men's cricket competition will be played in the T20 format from September 24 to October 3. India will compete alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Oman for the gold medal.
The tournament will begin with a preliminary qualifying stage from September 24 to 26 before moving into the quarter-finals on September 28 and 29. The semi-finals are scheduled for October 1, with the bronze-medal match and final set to be played on October 3.
