Don’t play him in the XI

Former Team India captain Kris Srikkanth urged the management not to force teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi into the playing XI in the upcoming Ireland and England T20I series. The 15-year-old was handed his maiden national call-up as he was included in the T20I squad for the next three assignments.

Suryavanshi is coming off a memorable IPL 2026 campaign, leading all-scorers with 776 runs at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.30 in 16 matches. The youngster was the Player of the Tournament, helping Rajasthan Royals (RR) finish two wins away from a title.

When asked about Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s selection and possible inclusion in the playing XI, Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel, Cheeky Cheeka (21:52):

“He has forced his way into the team. Age is no factor in his selection. It’s been through sheer scores. It doesn’t matter if he plays in the 11 or not. The management should guarantee him a slot in the 16 for three years, irrespective of whether he plays or not, or whether he fails or performs. Don’t force him into the 11 against Ireland as he will smash it irrespective of whether it’s a weak or strong team. So don’t play him in the 11 for the sake of it.”

He added:

“Let him wait and let Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma continue opening the batting. He’ll learn a lot just by staying in the reserves. He has a stable head and touches everyone’s feet to take their blessings, which is a fantastic sign. He might be the next gem after Sachin Tendulkar. If Sachin is the God of cricket, Vaibhav could be the son of God.”

Suryavanshi broke several IPL records in the 2026 season, including the most single-season maximums with 72.

“Test cricket will be revived” – Kris Srikkanth’s massive take on Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Kris Srikkanth believes Vaibhav Suryavanshi could revive Test cricket if he gradually develops into an all-format batter for India. The red-ball format has taken a hit over the past few years amid the growing popularity of T20 cricket worldwide.

“He’ll also slowly start playing red-ball cricket. If he develops into a good red-ball cricketer, Test cricket will be revived. If Suryavanshi bats, all of us are in front of the TV. The viewership just spikes vertically. That’s why his success in Test cricket is important. It’ll lead to the revival of international Test cricket,” said Srikkanth (via the aforementioned source).

Despite his ever-growing stature in white-ball cricket, Suryavanshi is yet to make a mark in red-ball cricket. The 15-year-old averages a paltry 17.25 in eight first-class outings, with a lone half-century.