Sunil Gavaskar Urges India to Pick Vaibhav Suryavanshi for England T20Is After Record IPL 2026

March 29, 2026: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has strongly backed teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi for a place in India’s T20I squad for the upcoming England series. The 15-year-old batting prodigy has enjoyed a sensational IPL 2026 campaign and currently leads the Orange Cap race with 680 runs. Gavaskar urged the Indian team management to ignore the youngster’s age and instead focus on the fearless manner in which he has dominated world-class bowlers throughout the season.

Speaking to Sports Tak, Gavaskar described Suryavanshi as a “God’s gift to Indian cricket” and praised the youngster’s fearless batting approach. “Don’t go by his age. Just look at the way he is playing and the confidence with which he is batting. At 15, he is taking apart bowlers who have 15 years of international experience,” Gavaskar said while applauding the Bihar-born batter’s remarkable maturity and shot-making ability.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Record-Breaking IPL 2026 Season

Suryavanshi has become one of the biggest stories of IPL 2026 with his explosive performances at the top of the order. Apart from leading the run-scoring charts with 680 runs, the young batter has maintained a stunning strike rate of over 230 throughout the tournament. He has also smashed 65 sixes this season, the highest ever by any player in the history of the IPL across 19 editions.

Gavaskar believes such extraordinary performances deserve immediate national recognition. “For the England T20I series, he should be selected. After this kind of performance, if you don’t give him an opportunity now, then when will you?” Gavaskar questioned while strongly supporting the youngster’s inclusion in the Indian squad.

“Don’t go by his age.”

~ Sunil Gavaskar hails Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as “God’s gift to Indian cricket” and urges selectors to fast-track the 15-year-old into India’s squad for the England tour after his sensational IPL 2026 exploits. pic.twitter.com/cVVaAaw0ti

— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) May 28, 2026

Gavaskar Calls Suryavanshi a Rare Talent for Indian Cricket

Despite India already having an established T20 opening combination in players like Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, Gavaskar believes Suryavanshi possesses a special quality that cannot be ignored. He particularly praised the teenager’s ability to handle short-pitched bowling with confidence and clean hitting.

“And when someone bowls short, he moves inside the line and hooks and pulls the ball so cleanly. That is very rare to see,” Gavaskar said. The former India captain also revealed that many fans were disappointed when Suryavanshi got out for 97 during one innings and narrowly missed the record for the fastest century. “Not just me, almost everyone apart from the SRH players were sad when he missed the hundred. Suryavanshi is truly God’s gift to Indian cricket,” Gavaskar added.