Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is listed as India’s youngest player after his run-top performance in the IPL.
Published June 5, 2026
15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi is likely to be selected in India’s T20 squad, with captain Suryakumar Yadav likely to bag the player during Saturday’s selection session.
Suryavanshi had a brilliant run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Rajasthan Royals, where he topped the batting average with 776 runs, including 15 centuries.
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The left-handed opener is understood to have been selected for two T20 matches in Ireland, before being selected for five matches in England.
He will be the youngest player ever to debut for India.
The great batsman Sachin Tendulkar played his first Test for India in 1989 at the age of 16 years and 205 days.
According to Indian media, Suryavanshi is also included in the 30-member squad for the Asian Games to be held in Japan from September to October.
He was named the IPL’s Most Valuable Player even though the team narrowly missed out on making it to the finals.
He also won the Orange Cap for topping the batting charts and was named Rookie of the Season, among other awards.
India’s T20 team is expected to undergo a leadership change, with Suryakumar likely to be removed from the captaincy almost three months after leading the country to World Cup glory at home.
Suryakumar has struggled with the bat, scoring just 242 runs in nine innings at the World Cup, with his unbeaten 84 runs against the US being the only serious blow.
The 35-year-old, who played for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, averaged 20.76 runs and conceded just 270 runs in 13 innings. His team finished 9th out of 10 teams.
Indian media has predicted Suryakumar will lose his place in the T20 squad, with officials calling it a “tough decision”.
Suryakumar is likely to be replaced by IPL-winning captain Shreyas Iyer, who last played a T20 for India in December 2023.
In 2024, he led Kolkata Knight Riders to the championship, in 2025 he captained the Punjab Kings to the runners-up position, and this year they reached the playoffs.
Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma are also in contention for the captain’s post and the selectors are expected to name the team in Mumbai over the weekend.
