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Nasser Hussain former England skipper backs teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India call-up. He believes that the young batsman has already earned a spot in the national team.

 

Speaking on The ICC Review Hussain hailed the Rajasthan Royals opener who was among the stars in IPL 2026 and is now considered one of the best young cricketers in the world.

 

Hussain stated :

 

 

"So it is an incredibly easy answer to give that he should definitely play. I am not going to pretend I saw too much of the IPL this year but I did see highlights of Sooryavanshi and he is a wonderful talent." 

 

 

The 15-year-old left-handed batter was a sensation at IPL 2026, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 776 runs from 16 innings at an average of 77.6 and an extraordinary strike rate of 237.30. He smashed a record 72 sixes during the season winning the Orange Cap and the Most Valuable Player award.

 

He has received plaudits from a number of cricket legends including Ravi Shastri and Sachin Tendulkar.

 

Hussain recollects Tendulkar memories whilst commending Sooryavanshi

 

Hussain drew parallels between the excitement surrounding Sooryavanshi and his first memories of watching a young Sachin Tendulkar during the Nehru Cup.

 

Hussain remembered :

 

"My very first game playing for England was in the Nehru Cup – and that is how long ago it was – and this very young lad walked out to the crease in pads I'd never seen before. And his name was Sachin Tendulkar And I was mesmerized by that then and I've seen Tendulkar tweeting about the young Sooryavanshi's bat swing and if you can impress Tendulkar and impress Kohli and the others this lad has certainly impressed everybody. Just a fantastic talent." 

 

Despite the immense competition for opening positions in the Indian team, Hussain feels it is hard to overlook such exceptional talent for long.

 

Hussain said :

 

"So for anywhere else in the world you would say he has got to play. In international cricket we say you pick an 11 at the toss and who do you leave out for him then? India do have any number of brilliant players and potential to play, but in the end if someone puts forward such a case consistently, they just have to be selected, you know regardless of who you leave out. This young boy has to play." 

 

 

Also Read | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Arrives in Sri Lanka with India A

 

 

Call-up for India A signals next step for the young prodigy

 

Hussain also stressed the importance of the young talent adapting to new conditions and challenges presented by international cricket.

 

Hussain explained :

 

 

"And, for me, that is when you feel as though this lad must play now because there is another challenge for him at home and away against bowlers which you have to conquer. We see how, during international games, you can have a wobble. We all have spells where we are not hitting that ball properly, perhaps you hit your back leg, the short ball etc,"

 

Hussain Concluded :

 

 

"He's going to have to deal with all of that if he's going to be a global star and be successful in a World Cup etc and we've seen that this year during the U19 World Cup against England especially. My god, this is a star. He's got to play,"

 

Sooryavanshi's meteoric rise began well before IPL 2026. Earlier this year he was instrumental in India's U19 World Cup victory and registered the highest score in an U19 WC final ever against England. He has now been included in India A's squad for the tri-series with Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A starting on 9 June and this could be a significant step towards senior team selection.