Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Given Reality Check As India Call-Up Buzz Gathers Steam: "Isn't Even BCCI's Job"
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi be picked for India's Tour of Ireland later this month? After a stellar IPL 2026, that saw the 15-year-old finish as the top run-scorer with a tally of 776, that is the question on everyone's mind
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is part of India A's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka and may be picked for Ireland Tour
- Sanjay Manjrekar advised against picking Sooryavanshi for foreign tours immediately
- "I don't think it's our job to handle him. It isn't even the BCCI's job," he said
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi be picked for India's Tour of Ireland later this month? After a stellar IPL 2026, that saw the 15-year-old finish as the top run-scorer with a tally of 776, that is the question on everyone's mind. Sooryavanshi is already part of India A's tour of Sri Lanka that starts in a week. Former India star Sanjay Manjrekar advised against picking Sooryavanshi in foreign conditions straightaway. For him, picking Sooryavanshi in conditions similar to the IPL was necessary.
"Vaibhav would be the next in line after the incumbents, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. But I would like to see Vaibhav play in similar batting conditions to those in the IPL, if they pick him for India at all," Manjrekar told Sportstar.
"Would not be a great idea to put him straight into, you know, foreign kind of, on a foreign pitch, like New Zealand, South Africa, we will see. He might go out there and repeat what he has done in the IPL.
"But, yeah, it's a tough one when you look at the contenders. Whether Gill is in front or Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, it's a tough call. So, let it happen organically and see how it goes."
He added that Sooryavanshi should be allowed to fight for his spot in the Indian team. "A lot of people are saying how we should handle him, and how will he fare in red-ball cricket? I don't think it's our job to handle him. It isn't even the BCCI's job. He is an individual. And I'm sure there are people around him who would like him to play with his coaches. It's about what he sets out to do in life. If he wants to just be a T20 sensation and focus on T20 cricket, so be it. And that shouldn't be held against him. But then you'll be judged only as a T20 phenomenal player. He plays 50-over cricket, and I think there's great value in certain conditions for him to bat in the first 10 overs and do what Rohit Sharma did in the 2023 World Cup. Even better than Rohit," Manjrekar said.
"It really should be about him deciding what he wants to be in life. Because if he wants to play red-ball cricket, it's a little unfair that he gets picked on for these performances when there could be certain deserving players who have done the hard yards in that Bihar Ranji Trophy team. Let's not complicate things for him. Let him decide. If he wants to aspire to play in Ranji Trophy cricket, he's got to fight for his place in that side. And let the state selectors decide whether he's going to be adding value or whether he's going to be a good enough player. But it's really about what he wants to do," he added.
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