Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his weight behind the growing movement to see 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fast-tracked into the senior national setup, describing the Rajasthan Royals opener as a “box-office” talent who could revitalise interest in Test cricket.
Sooryavanshi has become the breakout story of IPL 2026, driving a significant spike in television and streaming numbers as fans tune in to witness his fearless approach. While many veterans have urged caution due to his age, Ashwin believes the youngster’s ability to “put bums on seats” makes him a candidate for all three formats.
Speaking on the impact the fearless prodigy has made, Ashwin highlighted the sheer physicality and freedom of Sooryavanshi’s strokeplay.
“He is leaving no stone unturned, putting every ounce of force he can into the cricket ball,” Ashwin told JioHostar after Vaibhav’s 16-ball 36 in Rajasthan’s game against Gujarat Titans in Jaipur on Saturday, May 9.
“The way he played, even in the U-19 World Cup final, putting everything together, he is looking like a box-office player.”
The off-spinner noted that the current window of Sooryavanshi’s career is a rare period of pure enjoyment.
“There are very few windows in your cricketing career where you can absolutely enjoy your cricket, and he is only 15 years old. I think we should just let him be.”
Perhaps most significantly, Ashwin, a stalwart of the red-ball game, expressed a desire to see Sooryavanshi’s aggressive style translated to the Test arena. At a time when the longest format faces competition from T20 cricket, Ashwin sees the youngster as a natural entertainer.
“I wouldn’t mind watching him in a Test match, and I wouldn’t mind watching him in all three formats of the game,” Ashwin added.
“Get him onto cricket grounds, get people coming along, because he is going to entertain you.”
RECORDS BREAK, MOMENTUM BUILDS
The clamour for Sooryavanshi’s inclusion follows a historic run of form. From smashing 175 in the U19 World Cup final to leading the batting charts in IPL 2026, the 15-year-old is proving doubters wrong. Some may have feared a second-season syndrome for Vaibhav, but the teenager has already racked up 440 runs, including a century, in 11 matches at a strike rate of over 230 in the IPL 2026 season.
Despite the hype, Ashwin suggested that the Royals’ structure allows the 15-year-old to thrive without the pressure of leadership.
“There is no point asking him to do things he shouldn’t be doing at this stage of his career. He has experienced players like Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag and Donovan Ferreira to follow. He shouldn’t be the one carrying that burden.
“If he can give them flying starts, then with the batting line-up they have, they should be winning games like those comfortably,” Ashwin said.
With the BCCI selection committee reportedly monitoring the prodigy’s workload, the debate now shifts from if Sooryavanshi will wear the India cap, to how soon the board is willing to pull the trigger.
Sooryavanshi has been reportedly named in the list of probables for India’s upcoming tour of Ireland. The 15-year-old prodigy’s historic international debut is more likely to take place later this year during the Asian Games or the home series against the West Indies, according to PTI.
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