Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dubbed ‘almost unplayable’ as England get big warning

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Getty Images) Former England spinner Graeme Swann believes England could face a daunting challenge if teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is handed his long-awaited India debut in the upcoming T20I series, describing the youngster as a batsman who has looked “almost unplayable” in recent times. Although Sooryavanshi is yet to make his debut in India, he has become one of the most talked about names in Indian cricket. After being dropped during the T20I series defeat to Ireland, speculation has grown over whether the 15-year-old will finally get his first international cap against England. India enter the five-match series looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2-0 defeat in Ireland and the selection debate is only getting louder. Many have questioned why Sooryavanshi, despite his extraordinary performances in the IPL, is still waiting to make his international debut. Swann admitted that preparing for a player like the Rajasthan Royals opener is far from easy and said that England’s bowlers have very little evidence of anyone being able to trouble him consistently. “It is difficult to prepare for a player like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is still new to international cricket but he has already played two seasons of IPL. That means the video footage is available. Some of the England bowlers may have bowled with him in the IPL. But the truth is that nobody has had much success against him so far. He looked almost unplayable on JioStar,” he said. While Swann expects England’s attack to face a stern test, he feels one bowler may be slightly better equipped than others to take on the teenage fixture. The former off-spinner highlighted Jofra Archer’s link-up with Sooryavanshi at Rajasthan Royals, suggesting the England speedster gained valuable insight by watching and bowling at him during the IPL sessions. “One bowler who might have a slight advantage is Jofra Archer. He saw Sooryavanshi from the dugout, pounced on him in the nets and watched him closely. He probably saw him more than anyone else,” he added. Sooryavanshi forced his way into the Indian team after a breathtaking IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals. The left-handed opener finished as the highest run-scorer in the competition with 776 runs and recorded a remarkable strike rate of 237.30. His memorable campaign included one century, five half-centuries and a tournament-leading 72 sixes, cementing his reputation as one of India’s brightest young batting talents and earning him his first international call-up. With India looking for a response after the Ireland series, the focus will once again be on the team sheet when the England series begins as fans wait to see if Sooryavanshi will finally get a chance to make his international debut.