Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has called for patience and perspective following Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s historic selection in India’s senior men’s team, urging fans and experts not to burden the 15-year-old with excessive expectations at the start of his international journey.
Sooryavanshi forced his way into the national setup after a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign, prompting selectors to include the teenage sensation in India’s squads for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, as well as the 2026 Asian Games. The Bihar batter became the youngest player ever selected for the Indian men’s team, surpassing a 36-year-old record held by Sachin Tendulkar.
Ganguly urges fans to give youngster time
Speaking at a Kabuni event at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, Ganguly said the teenager should be allowed to grow naturally despite the growing spotlight surrounding him.
“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.
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IPL heroics paved way for India call-up
Sooryavanshi enjoyed a sensational season with Rajasthan Royals, finishing as the highest run-scorer in IPL 2026 with 776 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 237.30.
The left-handed batter smashed a record 72 sixes during the tournament and emerged as one of the most dominant performers of the season. His fearless batting earned him a clean sweep of major individual awards, including the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker and Super Sixes honours.
India’s immediate white-ball schedule includes a two-match T20I series against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28, followed by a five-match T20I series against England from July 1 to 11.
Sooryavanshi is also expected to be part of India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games, where the men’s cricket competition will be played in T20 format from September 24 to October 3.
Youngest-ever India call-up marks historic milestone
The teenager’s selection represents another landmark moment in Indian cricket. Sooryavanshi broke the long-standing record held by Sachin Tendulkar, who made his India debut at the age of 16 in 1989.
Having already rewritten several IPL records, the youngster now faces the challenge of translating domestic success onto the international stage as India begin preparing for a packed white-ball calendar.