Vaibhav Suryavanshi should be fast-tracked into senior India team, Bharucha says

Dubai: Rajasthan Royals’ Director of High Performance, Zubin Bharucha, believes that teenage cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi is ready for a call-up to the senior Indian squad. According to reports, Bharucha has already urged the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, to consider the young Bihar batter for senior team selection, confident that Suryavanshi can make a significant impact at the international level.

“He should be fast-tracked into the senior team, just like Sachin Tendulkar was when he first broke through,” Bharucha told The Times of India, drawing a direct comparison between the 14-year-old and the cricketing legend.

Bharucha further emphasised the urgency of Suryavanshi’s inclusion: “They need to give this guy a chance immediately. He’s operating in a completely different zone. At the very least, send him on an India A tour. With the Australian bowling attack here, if he faced them, he would’ve scored a double century.”

Suryavanshi became a household name after his explosive debut in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals earlier this year. The young left-hander set a new record for the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history, achieving the milestone off just 35 balls. He later stunned in youth ODIs against England, scoring the fastest century in youth ODI cricket earlier in 2025.

Notably, Suryavanshi made his first-class debut at just 12 years old and garnered attention with a memorable century against Australia in the U-19 Youth Test. That performance earned him an Rs11 million contract with Rajasthan Royals, making him the youngest player ever in the IPL.

Bharucha also recalled a memorable moment during a Rajasthan Royals training session, where Suryavanshi faced off against England’s fiery pacer Jofra Archer in the nets. The director recalled how Archer, known for his unrelenting pace and intensity, had no mercy on any batter, even knocking Steve Smith’s head off in a previous practice session before the Ashes.

“When Vaibhav faced Jofra, I was nervous,” said Bharucha. “But this boy hit one shot off the back foot that flew out of the stadium. Everyone, including Jofra, was stunned.”

It’s clear that Bharucha’s belief in Suryavanshi’s immense potential is unwavering, and it seems the cricketing world is watching closely as the young talent prepares for his next big leap.