Vaughan urges BCCI to fast-track Sooryavanshi for England tour after explosive IPL knock
The former England captain was reacting to Sooryavanshi’s 15-ball fifty against Chennai Super Kings on Monday night, a knock that included five sixes and four boundaries on his way to 52 off 17 balls. That innings helped Rajasthan Royals chase 128 in just 12.1 overs, demolishing CSK by eight wickets in Guwahati.
Why Vaughan thinks the time is now
Vaughan pointed to Sooryavanshi’s fearlessness as the key factor. The teenager, who turned 15 on March 27, is now eligible to represent India at senior level under ICC rules. He was player of the tournament as India won the U19 World Cup and scored a 35-ball century in his IPL debut season in 2025. His 15-ball half-century on Monday was the joint third-fastest in IPL history, level with Jake Fraser-McGurk, Yusuf Pathan, Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine.
Vaughan’s argument is simple. Even if Sooryavanshi does not make the playing eleven, putting him in the squad for the England tour would give him exposure to international routines, training standards and match-day pressure. India’s white-ball series against England begins on July 1 with T20 internationals followed by one-day internationals.
The case for patience
Not everyone agrees. There is a school of thought that rushing teenagers into international cricket risks burnout and creates unrealistic expectations. Sooryavanshi has played just a handful of IPL matches. The sample size is small. One extraordinary knock in Guwahati does not automatically mean he is ready for Trent Bridge or Lord’s.
India’s selectors also have Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prithvi Shaw and Abhishek Sharma competing for the same spots. Jaiswal, who holds the record for the fastest IPL fifty at 13 balls, is only 24 himself. The squad is not short of explosive young batters.
What happens next
The BCCI has not announced the squad for the England tour yet. Sooryavanshi has the rest of the IPL to build his case. If he keeps batting the way he did on Monday, the selectors will have a harder time leaving him out than picking him. For now, the calls are coming from outside India’s dressing room, but the kid on the pitch is doing everything he can to make them impossible to ignore.
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