Questions around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s long-awaited senior India debut continue to linger, but BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla has backed the team management’s approach, saying the 15-year-old will be given his opportunity when the time is right.
Sooryavanshi earned his place in the national setup following a sensational IPL 2026 season, where he amassed 776 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 237.31. Despite that explosive form, he is yet to feature in an international match, having remained on the bench during the T20I series against Ireland as well as the rain-affected opening game against England.India have instead continued with the established top-order trio of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan — a combination that played a key role in their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign earlier this year. The team management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer, has consistently maintained that there is no immediate need to disrupt the batting order, insisting that Sooryavanshi’s opportunity will arrive in due course.
Backing that stance, Shukla said the youngster’s time will come at an appropriate stage.
“We are also of the view that he is a very talented player, and he showcased that during the IPL. I have seen several comments against the team management and the coaches, but I want to make it very clear that the coach and captain will make the final decision. They are looking at the situation, and whenever the right opportunity arises, they will definitely give him his chance," Shukla told Times Now.
“So, such decisions should be left to the wisdom of the team management. I don’t know why such unnecessary comments are being made about it," he added.
Sooryavanshi’s case has drawn wider attention, with former cricketers including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri and Mohammad Kaif publicly advocating for his inclusion in the playing XI. However, the current team setup appears committed to persisting with Samson and Abhishek at the top, at least for the time being.
Samson, in particular, has come under scrutiny following a string of low scores against Ireland and England, raising questions over how long the management will continue to back him. Ahead of the second T20I against England, India bowling coach Morne Morkel also stressed that a debut for Sooryavanshi is not a straightforward decision.
“Look, I don't think there are a lot of factors. I think we just need to also respect the fact that we've got the number one batter in T20 cricket, Abhishek Sharma. Sanju was the Player of the World Cup. He had a great IPL. So I think as a coaching staff, it's only fair to show faith and back your players,” Morkel told reporters.
“Yes, there's a young man knocking on the door, and it's exciting, but I reckon for not just those two players at the top, but for the rest of the group, it's a good sign that we show that we back you guys. It's about putting performances on the board; that is key. But also, if you look at it, we also don't want to think too much and bat other players out of positions. So I reckon it's not a straightforward decision, 'OK, let's play'. It's a matter of backing some of the guys who've won World Cups, who've done really well for you in tough situations, and then also from there, build and see how we can structure and make our top-order model as good as possible in these conditions,” he added.
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