Search

India Should Find a Place for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Says Simon Doull

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s amazing IPL 2026 season has reignited the debate about his future with Team India. This 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener went from just being a teen prospect to a real contender after having one of the best seasons ever in the league. People are calling for his spot in the national team more than ever, especially after Simon Doull, a former New Zealand cricketer, said the selectors should “find room for him” and even think about making him a Test opener. Now, folks aren’t just talking about his T20 games; they’re wondering if he’s ready for the longest format of the game.

Doull added that India should find a place for Sooryavanshi in one of their national teams as soon as he said, “I don’t know who they replace, but yeah they got to find room for him somewhere in some of those teams.”

Doull’s remarks came during Sky Sports’ coverage of the England-New Zealand Test match. When the idea of Sooryavanshi opening the batting in Test cricket was raised, the former fast bowler responded that such a move “can’t be far away.” While no official Test call-up has been announced, the comments reflected the growing belief that the teenager’s rise could soon extend beyond franchise cricket. 

Also Read | IPL Fair Play Award Winners List from 2008 to 2025

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s IPL Success and the Growing Test Cricket Debate 

Historic IPL 2026 Season 

The biggest reason behind the excitement is Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary IPL 2026 performance. The Bihar-born batter finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 776 runs and a strike rate of 237.30. He also smashed a record 72 sixes, setting a new benchmark for power-hitting in the competition.

Moreover, he became the first player to sweep five major individual awards in a single season. These included the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season and Super Sixes of the Season. At just 15 years and 65 days old, he also became the youngest Orange Cap winner in IPL history. His campaign featured a century and three scores in the nineties, underlining his consistency throughout the tournament. He also reached 1,000 IPL runs in only 440 balls, the fastest ever by deliveries faced.

Sooryvanshi’s Red-Ball Ambition 

Sooryavanshi may be known for his aggressive T20 batting, but his true dream is playing Test cricket. His dad always emphasized that the red-ball format is the pinnacle of the sport. Because of this, he keeps working on his skills for longer formats, even with his quick success in T20 games.

Now, his hard work is paying off. Sooryavanshi made the India A squad for a 50-over tri-series in Sri Lanka. This selection could be a big step towards playing for the country. Although experts aren’t unanimous on how fast he should move up, his amazing IPL season and dedication to red-ball practice mean more people want to discuss his promising future in cricket.