‘Think he just picked himself’: Ajit Agarkar on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s maiden India call-up

BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar admitted there was not much he could do other than hand Vaibhav Sooryavanshi his maiden India call-up for the upcoming UK tour and the Asian Games. Agarkar, who chaired the selection meet on Saturday in Mumbai, added, ‘Sooryavanshi picked himself’ after his IPL 2026 exploits. The 15-year-old batting sensation broke records in only his second IPL season. Winning the Orange Cap for scoring 776 runs in 16 matches was among the five awards he won, creating history. His tally alone also helped Rajasthan Royals reach the playoffs this season.

"I think he just has picked himself, really," Agarkar said of Sooryavanshi’s selection. "With his performances, he has almost forced us to pick him with how well he has played. For a young kid… I don't need to talk about how well he is playing. And it's not just this season. He obviously had a great start [to his IPL career] last season.

"And to back it up for a young kid in a competition that's as competitive and has a high-pressure environment, and how explosive he can be and a game-changer that he can be. Like everyone else that has watched T20 cricket in India, we have got high hopes of him,” he added.

Following his IPL debut last season, the then 14-year-old smashed a record 35-ball hundred against the Gujarat Titans in only his third IPL match, becoming the youngest to do so and the quickest among Indians. Even this season, he took the attack to some of the best seamers in the world, including taking the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Starc to the cleaners.

Beyond the IPL colours, he also helped India’s Under-19 side to lift an ODI World Cup trophy early this year, smashing the second-fastest hundred (in 55 balls), clobbering a six-filled 175 against England in the final. His exploits elsewhere, too, convinced the selectors and broadcasters that he is the next big thing in Indian cricket.

"I know his age, and how young he is, and how early in his career, but two IPLs in a row [he has done well]," Agarkar said. "We know what he was doing at the Under-19 level, and that's probably perhaps a step down to what the IPL is or slightly lower [than what] senior cricket is. But we can all see what kind of talent he has. We're hopeful that if and when he gets an opportunity to actually play for the country, he shows us the same sort of ability that he's shown.

"Obviously, there will be tougher challenges when he plays for the country, but he's shown great promise and temperament. We always deliberate because there's so much talent around, especially when it comes to T20 cricket at this point. But it tells you a lot that his performances have made us pick him, and we're very hopeful,” he added.

Excitement around his selection

Agarkar revealed how everyone is excited about his selection in the senior men’s team.

"We're very excited with what he's doing in T20 cricket. And hopefully, you know, us as selectors or the BCCI and the coaching staff can help him push in the right direction. At this point, we're just focused on what he can bring to the T20 team, and we'll take one step at a time,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, for now, Sooryavanshi is part of the India-A squad for the ODI tri-series, also involving Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in Dambulla, starting June 9.