Vaibhav Suyravanshi: After silencing doubters, wait for senior call-up begins

The Under-19 World Cup final has produced several standout performances by Indians in the previous five triumphs – but none could match in impact that Vaibhav Suryavanshi created at the  Harare Sports Club on Friday. So much so, that his 175 off 80 balls – which left England shellshocked – is already being spoken in the same breath as Kapil Dev’s identical score versus Zimbabwe in 1983.

The chatter has begun on whether Vaibhav, a 14-year-old, is ready to be fast-tracked into the senior Indian white ball set-up with number of former India greats batting for him. Calling the Bihar lad’s superlative innings ‘absurd,’ Ravi Ashwin posted on his X handle: ‘’This kid is knocking on the doors of international cricket hard and fast. Post the T20 World Cup, don’t be surprised if that door opens.’’

‘’The sun has written on Bhartiya cricket,’’ remarked Virender Sehwag, who was one the pioneers of fearless batting in Indian cricket even before the term was coined. A total of 15 sixes and as many fours, which accounted for 85 per cent of his runs in the innings, spoke of the disdain with which he treated the England bowlers – not to speak of dispelling any lingering doubts about his big match temperament.

While one sees no reason to rush a prodigious talent like him into the senior T20 team – which is brimming with resources – there is also a technicality which stops him from being eligible till he turns 15 on 27 March. The ICC had introduced a Minimum Age Policy in 2020 to safeguard the physical and mental health of young athletes, whereby a player must be at least 15 years old to play international cricket.

There have been often doubts raised about Vaibhav’s date of birth, but he was officially born on 27 March 2011. Ironically, while he is too young for the senior team, his stint with India’s U19 team is also over as the BCCI has a one-tournament rule where the players cannot participate in more than U19 World Cup – a policy aimed to ensure a conveyor belt of emerging talent.

After having dominated the 2026 edition as the Player of the Tournament, Vaibhav cannot return for the 2028 or 2030 marquee events, even though he would still be under 19 for both editions. Vaibhav finished as the second highest run-getter in the tournament with 439 runs from seven innings – with England opener Ben Mayes overtaking him during their chase with 444 runs in seven innings. Faisal Shinozada of Afghanistan followed in third position with 435 runs in six innings.

Much as explosive Vaibhav is with the bat, he appeared tongue tied to express his thoughts after the final: ‘’I can’t express how I am feeling. All the preparation, all the support staff has put in for all the games have brought us to this stage. I would like to dedicate this award to them. For the last eight or nine months, all of us have been working together and the preparation started way before the Asia Cup. That has helped us to where we are now.

“I have grown to become very confident in the skillset I have developed and I know I can perform in big games under pressure.”

Meanwhile, skipper Ayush Mhatre hailed the opener’s knock having had the best view in the house for much of it. Mhatre scored 53 in a 142-run, second-wicket stand between the pair which went a long way to ensure he would end the day lifting the trophy.

“We have no words for him (Suryavanshi) as a player or that innings. We know he is a fabulous batsman and he has shown what he can do.”

Vaibhav: Power and glory

U19 World Cup final high: 175 off 80 balls against England, the highest individual score in a U19 World Cup final.

World Cup sixes record: New tournament record with 30 sixes in the 2026 edition, surpassing Dewald Brevis.

Global List-A Record: Youngest player in history to score a List-A century at 14 years and 272 days.

IPL century milestone: Became the youngest ever IPL centurion (14y, 32d) with a 35-ball ton for Rajasthan Royals.

India A landmark: Became the first player to score a T20 century for India A, smashing a 32-ball hundred against the UAE.