Don't look at his age: Gavaskar believes Sooryavanshi is ready for the India call-up

Age is just a number, but what 14-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi does on the cricket field is pure, magical. The teenage sensation has taken the cricketing world by storm, playing with his fearless nature that has left even the greatest legends of the game in complete awe. Leading the praise is legendary former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, who believes the youngster is not only a future star, but is ready for the absolute highest level right now.

Speaking to SportsTak, Gavaskar delivered an impassioned reality check to the selectors, demanding that they ignore the birth certificate and focus fully on the destruction that Suryavanshi is causing on the field.

The impression was that young man maybe it’s getting to be too much. With the hype he is causing in the IPL along with his exploits at the youth level, a sudden jump could completely derail his potential. But Gavaskar believes he is more than ready for the job, at least as far as T20 cricket is concerned.

Gavaskar said: “For T20 cricket, absolutely ready. Absolutely ready. I hope he gets a place in the squad when the T20 squad for England is selected. He should get one because if you don’t give him a place now after such a tremendous performance, when are you going to?”

As for his youth, Gavaskar gave these critics a reality checkreminding them that there are players much older than him who can only dream of playing the way he does.

“Don’t look at age because the way he hits fours and sixes against players who are 15 years his senior and even against those who have international cricket experience sends the ball into the stands,” he said.

“So don’t look at his age. Just look at the way he plays. The style he plays. There’s no fear at all. No fear,” he added.

NEVER LOSE THE CHILD IN YOU

One of the most striking aspects of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s batting is the fearlessness with which he approaches the game. Comparing it to how children play cricket in parks and gullies across the country, Sunil Gavaskar said the youngsters rarely think about defense and instead focus on expressing themselves through attacking shots.

“When you and I were kids, did we ever play defense?” Gavaskar asked. “It’s only when you get older that you start thinking about defence. Even in tennis ball cricket, we just wanted to hit the ball.”

According to the former Indian captain, Suryavanshi embodies the same carefree spirit. Gavaskar said he hopes the youngster never loses that childlike attitude that makes him so exciting to watch.

“A kid in his game should never grow old,” Gavaskar said. “Let the child remain a child, for that is what gives us all so much joy.”

MORE THAN A SLOGGER

Gavaskar also dismissed suggestions that Suryavanshi’s success is built purely on brute force, insisting that the 15-year-old has sound batting technique.

“He’s not a slogger, he’s a batsman,” explained Gavaskar. “There is a difference.

The batsman pointed to Suryavanshi’s ability to hit the ball straight with the bat, regularly cleanly hitting the bowler’s head and down the ground towards long-on and long-off. He also highlighted the youngster’s footwork, noting that he clears his front foot slightly to create a better swing path without compromising his balance.

Gavaskar added that players who move too far towards mid-wicket often increase their chances of missing the ball, while Suryavanshi’s method allows him to generate power while maintaining control.

“His technique is good,” Gavaskar said. “His technique is based on a straight bat, and that’s why he’s successful.”

India play England on a white-ball tour in July later this year. So far, there is no indication that Sooryavanshi might give the nod, but one thing is certain. The BCCI selectors will be watching him closely.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

May 29, 2026 12:32 PM IST