14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi enters Asia Cup selection debate, Agarkar told to make BOLD call

The Indian squad for the 2025 Asia Cup will be announced on Tuesday (Aug 19) when the BCCI men’s selection committee meets in Mumbai. Ajit Agarkar-led panel already has plenty to look into and cater to, with countless options to choose from for each position. While they are contemplating selections of some of the top names, including Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer and even Mohammed Siraj, they have received a last-minute push to take a bold call and include uncapped teenager Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the squad for the continental tournament. Former India opener and chief selector Kris Srikkanth is the one to speak up for him.

The selectors are said to have pinned their hopes on the side’s core that featured against England and South Africa earlier, with Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Tilak Varma among those expected to stay. While the crowded top order is already making it difficult for the selectors to pick either Gill or Jaiswal, or both (as a spare opener), including another rookie opener, Suryavanshi would not ease the selection conundrum for them.

Meanwhile, since making his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals the past season, Vaibhav hasn’t stopped making headlines. Be it for hitting the first ball of his IPL career for a massive six to slamming a record 35-ball hundred a few games later (against Gujarat Titans), everyone’s been chanting Vaibhav’s name.

Although he is sure to make his senior team debut sometime soon, including a raw talent for the eight-team tournament, to be played in the T20 format, seems like a massive punt to take for everyone.

“You have to play boldly. Don’t make him wait. Don’t say things like let him mature. He is already playing with remarkable maturity. His shot-making has been on another level. If I were chairman, I would definitely have him in the 16," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

Even though the latest reports have suggested that the selectors are against experimenting with the settled top order, Srikkanth feels Sanju’s selection is not automatic, and that he wishes to see either Vaibhav or Sai Sudharsan make the cut.

“Samson is doubtful, according to me. My first-choice opener is Abhishek Sharma, no doubt. I will have two more openers. My picks would be Vaibhav Suryavanshi or Sai Sudharsan, with Shubman Gill as an option. If I were a selector, I would keep Vaibhav in the 15 for the T20 World Cup.

“He has been outstanding. I think it should be Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Sai Sudharsan. I would take two out of these three. That would be my preference,” he added.

Meanwhile, the UAE will host the tournament, which begins on September 9 and concludes on September 28.

India, the most successful team in the competition, is placed alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Oman and the UAE in Group A. The remaining four teams, including Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong, are in Group B.