‘I’d look at him in an instant’: Ravi Shastri backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India debut next month

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals during the warm-up session. (NOT a photo)

NEW DELHI: Former India coach Ravi Shastri believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could make his senior India debut as early as next month, with the former coach urging selectors to fast-track Rajasthan Royals’ opener to the national T20 setup.Speaking to The ICC Review, Shastri said the youngster had already done enough to earn the opportunity and suggested the upcoming tour of Ireland in June as the perfect stage for his introduction to senior cricket.“The door would be three-quarters open,” Shastri said. “If you want to encourage or get someone young into the set-up as quickly as possible, then it’s the T20 format. It’s not short by any means.”Shastri wants the selectors to move quicklyThe former coach was emphatic that Sooryavanshi’s age should not be an obstacle. “A lot of people are going to ask, is he 15, is he 16, is he 14? I don’t care. I just see how he’s batting at the moment and how he’s going up against all comers who are twice his age or maybe two-and-a-half times his age. He doesn’t care,” Shastri said.He added that the teenager could already be involved in several international sides. “This guy can break into many sides of world cricket at this current moment. You just have to look at the exuberance of youth and that youth can be seen on his face.”Sooryavanshi’s rise was rapid. Fresh from helping India win the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, the left-hander exploded in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals, smashing 440 runs in 11 innings at a staggering strike rate of 236.56.India Occupation provides momentumHis season includes a breathtaking 36-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad and two fifties along with a tournament-leading 40 sixes. Shastri said the selectors should act immediately.“So I think he’s very, very much in the reckoning. And when you’ve got a tour of Ireland and all this going on now, I’d look at him straight away,” he said.That possibility seems to be getting closer. Sooryavanshi earned an invitation to India A for the tri-series in Sri Lanka involving Afghanistan in June. A strong performance could turn Shastri’s prediction into reality.

Should Vaibhav Sooryavanshi be included in India’s senior T20 squad quickly?