BCCI Sent Warning Over Fast-Tracking Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: "He's Not Indian Cricket"

Former Indian cricket team batter Aakash Chopra believes that the BCCI selectors should remain patient with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and not push him into the senior team despite a stellar IPL 2026 season. Sooryavanshi is currently the top run-scorer in this year's competition and he once again impressed everyone after scoring 97 off just 29 deliveries with 12 sixes. The knock reignited the chatter over a possible senior team debut for the 15-year-old in the near future with many predicting a debut against Ireland. However, Chopra believes that although he has been enjoying a sensational run of form, he should not be included at the expense of either Abhishek Sharma or Sanju Samson.

"We are still 2 years away from the next World Cup. There will be time. Yes, it's exciting. It's something that is there which you cannot possibly ignore because IPL is India's best T20 tournament. So if somebody is just breaking records, shattering records, you've got to take it seriously, and this kid is special. There's no doubt about it. But then you just don't make changes for the sake of making changes because somebody else has done well," Chopra said on YouTube.

"It's very simple for somebody to go out; you need to fail that exam. If somebody's a topper already, how can you just replace the topper because you think somebody else will actually get more grades? I mean, he is a topper."

Chopra pointed out that Samson and Abhishek should not be replaced just because Sooryavanshi is having a good run of form before saying that if that becomes the trend, the youngster will also be replaced easily if he starts faltering.

"You're talking about Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. You're not replacing them right now because if you were to do that, I can give you in writing, in two or three years, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi goes through a bad patch, you're going to follow the same principle."

"The next kid in town, you'll want to elevate him to this standard. So Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha will face a lot of scrutiny and pressure, but they need to do what is right for Indian cricket, and he represents Indian cricket.

"He's not Indian cricket. I mean, he is a part of Indian cricket, and I think that fact is not lost on any of the selectors, and they'll do the right thing, but it doesn't have to happen tomorrow. It can take time. He's 20 years ahead of him, so there's no rush," said Chopra.

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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Aakash Chopra Rajasthan Royals Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2026 Cricket