Mohit Sharma has backed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for higher honours, saying the 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals batter is already good enough to play international cricket. But the veteran pacer also urged India not to fast-track him, even as Sooryavanshi continues to pile up runs in the IPL and edges closer to bigger selection calls.
Sharma said Sooryavanshi should be tried if there is a spot, arguing that the teenager is already proving himself against top bowlers and top teams. In comments to SportsBoom, he described the left-hander as someone who is “smashing all top fast bowlers” and said his talent would take him a long way, but added that he is still playing only one style and one format.
The timing matters because Sooryavanshi has been named in India-A’s squad for a tri-series in Sri Lanka in June, putting him in line for another step up after a breakout IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals. The tri-series will run from 9 June to 21 June and will include Sri Lanka-A and Afghanistan-A, with a double round-robin group stage followed by a final. Tilak Varma will lead India-A and Riyan Parag has been named vice-captain.
Sooryavanshi’s rise has been unusually fast even by modern standards. He made his IPL debut at 14 in IPL 2025 and has since become one of the most talked-about young batters in the league, where he is sixth on the IPL 2026 Orange Cap table with 486 runs in 12 matches, at an average of 40.50 and a strike-rate of 234.78. He has two fifties and one century. That sort of output is why his name is now being spoken about in the same breath as India’s opening debate.
That debate is crowded. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are the current incumbents in India’s T20I opening slots, while Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill are also waiting for a chance. Sharma said the competition shows how India’s approach has changed, pointing to an aggressive modern style led by players such as Abhishek and Ishan Kishan.
There is still one important unknown in Sooryavanshi’s June schedule. India-A are also set to play two four-day unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka-A, but it is not immediately clear whether he will be involved in those matches. For now, the 50-over tri-series looks like the more natural stage for him, and perhaps the right one for a teenager who is already being tested in public as much for his age as for his batting.
Sharma said he is glad he has retired, “or else I would have been smashed too,” a line that captures both the respect Sooryavanshi is drawing and the caution surrounding him. India may not need to hurry. But if there is room, the case for giving him a look is already hard to ignore.
