‘He’s only 15, there’s no need to rush’ – Aakash Chopra on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India call-up

With the kind of form he has shown, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi definitely looks ready to break into the Indian T20I side, with the cricketing fraternity eagerly waiting for his international call-up. However, former cricketer Aakash Chopra has said that there is no hurry to give the 15-year-old a taste of international cricket, saying that there is almost two years of time left for the next T20 World Cup, set to be held in 2028.

According to Chopra, there is no doubt that the selectors and the Indian team management will have to start thinking about Sooryavanshi on a serious note. However, the Agra-born also believes that the Rajasthan Royals opener might be kept on the sidelines for a little longer, as changes need not be made only for the sake of making them.

“We are still two years away from the next World Cup. There is plenty of time. Yes, picking Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India based on his IPL form is an exciting thought. You can’t ignore it because the IPL is India’s top T20 tournament. He is breaking records left and right. You have to take him seriously. He is special, no doubt. But you don’t make changes just for the sake of it. It’s simple. For someone to be dropped, they need to fail,” the cricketer-turned-commentator told JioStar.

Furthermore, the popular commentator opined that a place in the side will only be vacated when the current Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson do not show good form. Chopra added that Sooryavanshi is only 15 years old and has an ample amount of time to further nurture his stroke play before making his debut for the Men in Blue.

“If someone is already a topper in the team, why would you replace them just because someone else scored big runs? Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are those toppers right now. You don’t replace them. If you do, then in two or three years when Vaibhav has a lean patch, the same thing will happen.

“The next young batter will be pushed in. So, the selectors, Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh, and Pragyan Ojha, will face pressure. But they must do what is best for Indian cricket. They will make the right call. His India debut doesn’t have to happen tomorrow. It can wait. He is only 15. There is no rush,” Chopra concluded.

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