Former England captain Nasser Hussain backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India call-up

New Delhi: Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes India can no longer overlook teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He insists the 15-year-old has done enough to earn a spot on the national team after a record-breaking Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. In the latest edition of The ICC Review with Sanjana Ganesan, Hussain praised the young player, who impressed in the tournament with an outstanding 776 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 237.30. His total of 72 sixes was also the highest by any batter in a single IPL season.

For Hussain, the question of whether Sooryavanshi is ready for international cricket is already answered. "Such an easy answer to give to that is that yes, he has to play. I didn't watch too much of the IPL, to be honest, but I watched clips of Sooryavanshi, and what an incredible talent," Hussain said.

The teenager's accomplishments have made him one of the most talked-about young cricketers globally. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has already predicted a senior India debut for him, while batting legend Sachin Tendulkar recently praised the young player’s bat swing and fearless approach.

Hussain shared that Tendulkar's admiration for Sooryavanshi reminded him of his first encounter with the Indian great early in his international career. "One of my first games for England was in the Nehru Cup, that's how long ago it was, and this young lad strode out with pads on that I'd never seen before, and his name was Sachin Tendulkar," Hussain recalled.

"And I was in complete awe, and I've noticed Sachin putting out some tweets about Sooryavanshi's bat swing. If you can impress Sachin Tendulkar and impress Virat Kohli and the rest, he's impressed, everyone. What an unbelievable talent."

The challenge for India's selectors lies in finding space for Sooryavanshi in a batting line-up already filled with established T20 stars. Players like Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan have all played key roles at the top of the order in recent years.

Yet Hussain believes exceptional talent should take precedence over selection challenges. "So anywhere else in the world, you would say get him in. But usually at the toss, you just have to name 11 players. In international cricket, who do you leave out for him?

"India has a list of batters they could play and should play, but in the end, someone makes a case, a consistent case, and an incredible case for being picked. In the end, you have to say, I don't care who we're leaving out, this lad has to play," Hussain said. IANS

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