‘Sooryavanshi is too good a talent to be wasted solely on IPL and T20 cricket’

The first week of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 did not throw up any surprises as the teams went through the process of settling down to the demands of playing the game in front of a global audience. The more experienced campaigners such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli managed to get into their stride straightaway while other top batsmen of the preceding years showed that they were in fine fettle with the willow. It was more difficult for the bowlers as the restrictions on the number of overs and the placid batsmen friendly wickets acted as a natural dampener on their quest to swiftly move into top gear.

The star of the week was undoubtedly Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the young willow wielder who struck a scintillating hand century while turning out for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). This was a much awaited encounter as it pitted two sides that had indulged in a pre season exchange of players. The fact that the cricketer released by RR- Sanju Samson- turned out to be the hero for India during the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup lent an extra edge to this contest. RR suffered another setback as Sam Curran, one of the duo exchanged for Samson, was laid low by a groin injury and ruled out for this edition of IPL.

The game between RR and CSK turned out to be an anti climax with the former emerging as the easy winner. Samson failed with the bat and the other batsmen too could not get going as CSK crumbled for a paltry total of 127. In reply, RR coasted to at the target, reaching it with 71 balls to spare. The hero for RR was Sooryavanshi, who struck a quick fire 52 off only 17 balls, with five sixers and four boundaries. The opening stand of 75 runs between Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, which came off a mere 37 balls, placed RR firmly in the drivers seat and ensured them an easy win.

This innings, which came only a few days after he celebrated his fifteenth birthday, led to heated discussions amongst the observers about “elevating Sooryavanshi to the top level”. The manner in which he took apart a high quality bowling attack, the confidence he displayed, the range of strokes at his command and the balance that he showed at the crease were the reasons that prompted such a debate. His success at the junior level, where he has torn to shreds bowling attacks failing in under-19 category from all parts of the world, is another factor that prompts calls for his induction to the national squad. If he is so good as to perform exceedingly well in IPL and international junior cricket, should he be denied an entry to the world of international cricket solely on account of his age? Besides, he has crossed the minimum threshold of 15 years, which is fixed by ICC, for playing international cricket.

There are two aspects to be considered while blooding a young cricketer into the world of international cricket. The first is whether he has attained the level of technical perfection required to perform in a high pressure arena. In the pre- IPL era, players came up through the rungs of domestic cricket which helped them to sharpen their skills through their constant engagement with the best players in the country. Once IPL came into existence, this championship has provided a stage which can be used by talented players to launch themselves directly into international cricket bypassing the tortuous paths in the traditional structure. However, success in IPL cannot be equated with perfection in technique, which is required for success at the highest level, especially in One Day Internationals and test matches.

The next aspect pertains to temperament. Success in cricket brings in its wake riches and fame, which can be handled only by a person who possesses the necessary balance and temperament. This usually comes with age, which is the reason why an immense level of care and circumspection is required before giving an opportunity to a young player at the highest level. For all the glamour and luxury associated with cricket at the international level, there also exist huge restrictions on the movement of players and their social life, besides the immense pressure to keep performing at peak levels on a near continuous basis. All these tend to take their toll on the players, leading to instances of burnout and early exit from the game.

A look at the careers of some of the youngest players to turn out for India in international cricket (tests, ODI’s and T20 Internationals) will reveal the logic behind exercising utmost caution before giving opportunities for those in their teens at this level. Except Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh, none of the others could do full justice to the immense talent they were blessed with. Even Harbhajan Singh had to overcome temperament related issues and was dropped from the side once, before he could cement his place in the national squad. Maninder Singh, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Piyush Chawla, Parthiv Patel, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Chetan Sharma and Vijay Mehra were brilliant players and had the performances in domestic cricket to justify their selection to the national squad. However, none of them could play at the highest level for long, despite coming up with occasional performances that showcased their talent. It was not lack of talent or absence of the required technical skillsets that worked against them when they turned out for the country; their only shortcoming was in the area of temperament and it stood between them and success. Most of them could not handle fame and money, which turned their heads and made them arrogant, with the result that no one was there to lend a helping hand when they hit a bad patch. The rest did not know how to manage failure and went into a bout of depression, which wrote ‘finis’ to their careers.

An interesting aspect that comes to the fore when one examines the list of 50 youngest cricketers who have played for their country is that it is almost entirely composed of players from Asia, with only a couple from West Indies (incidentally, one amongst them is the legendary Gary Sobers) and Australia thrown into this lot. This could not have happened due to absence of promising young cricketers in countries located outside the Asian continent. This was more on account of a deliberate policy whereby players were selected to wear the national colours only after they were well into the third decade of their lives, by which time they could be expected to develop the mental strength and character required to handle the ups and downs that are part of the lives and careers of cricketers at all levels.

So where should one draw the line? It will be grossly unfair to deny a player an opportunity to play for his country solely on account of the fact that he has not reached a specific age. On the other hand, exposing a cricketer who is still in his formative years to the rough and tough world of international cricket is equally wrongful. Once a youngster is given a chance to match his skills against the best in the world through the grand stage offered by IPL and he comes out of this test in flying colours, he should not be kept on the sidelines only due to his age. But he should be made to go through the grind of domestic first class cricket to develop the mental prowess and resilience, which are absolute necessities for survival at the international level.

Here it merits mention that Sooryavanshi has till date played in only 8 first-class matches. He made his debut for Bihar, his home state, in January 2024 and is yet to score a century in this grade. So his experience of playing the longer duration version of the game at the domestic first class level is very little as of now. This is one area that he will need to work on in the months ahead. This will help him to tighten his game and develop the patience and fortitude to build an innings and make tall scores. Sooryavanshi is too good a talent to be wasted solely on IPL and T20 cricket. Instead, he should be nurtured and allowed to bloom by giving him time to find his feet in the other versions of the game as well.

In conclusion, though the prospect of selecting Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to the national squad looks very alluring, selectors should exercise restraint and insist that he takes part in domestic first class cricket for at least one full season before he can be considered for a place even in the India “A” side. This alone will help him to blossom as a cricketer and do full justice to the prodigious talent that he is blessed with.