Former India opener and top selector Kris Srikkanth has offered a shocking suggestion: include 14-year-old phenom Vaibhav Suryavanshi in India’s side for the next Asia Cup 2025. Srikkanth feels that age should not be a barrier when exceptional talent and form are available.
The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, will meet in Mumbai on August 19 to finalise India’s roster for the T20 Asia Cup, which will be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28. With India’s opening match on September 10, the selectors are facing some difficult decisions, with names such as Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Riyan Parag in contention. In the midst of this, Srikkanth’s desire to expedite Suryavanshi’s promotion to the senior team has provided new context to the selection narrative.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi made his IPL debut with Rajasthan Royals in 2025.
With a 35-ball tonne against the Gujarat Titans, the southpaw set an IPL record for the fastest century by an Indian player. He carried that form into the India U-19 tour of England, where he scored 355 runs in five matches, including 143 in the fourth ODI.
“You have to play boldly. Don’t make him wait. Don’t say things like let him mature. He is already playing with remarkable maturity. His shot-making has been on another level. If I were chairman, I would have him in the 15,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Samson is doubtful: Kris Srikkanth
The former selector also predicted India’s opening combination. While he backed Abhishek Sharma as the first-choice opener, he mentioned that the remaining slots should be between Suryavanshi, Sai Sudharsan, and Shubman Gill.
“Samson is doubtful, according to me. My first-choice opener is Abhishek Sharma, no doubt. I will have two more openers. My picks would be Vaibhav Suryavanshi or Sai Sudharsan, with Shubman Gill as an option. He has been outstanding. I think it should be Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Sai Sudharsan. I would take two out of these three. That would be my preference,” Srikkanth added.
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