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Despite having waited for his first match for the national side, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s name keeps being talked about in an increasingly loud manner. As the five-match T20I series against England unfolds, a lot of former cricketers have been giving subtle hints to the selection committee to include the talented teenager in the playing XI rather than making him watch from the sidelines.

 

The former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan recently came out to talk about Sooryavanshi. Speaking on the Jio Hotstar, the former player appreciated the batting skills of Sooryavanshi and said that he believes the young talent can earn a place for himself in the Indian squad for a long time to come.

 

Team selection gets messy

 

India currently have a bunch of solid batting options in this T20I squad. Naturally, that makes team selection a bit of a maze for the management.

 

Abhishek Sharma, for example, has been in scorching form. He’s hit back-to-back half-centuries against Ireland and England, so his case looks pretty strong, like one of the first names to come up.

 

Sanju Samson though, has been a little underwhelming in his most recent innings. The wicketkeeper-batter, who had a big impact in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 title-winning run, hasn’t been able to score freely during the Ireland series, or even in the opening T20I against England.

 

Then there’s Ishan Kishan, who is in the squad too. He can open the batting, even though he’s been batting in the middle order recently. So, fitting Sooryavanshi into the playing XI, right now, becomes a tough balancing act.

 

Also Read | IND vs ENG: Not Samson, Not Abhishek; This Player Could Make Way for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Debut

 

So who makes way for Sooryavanshi?

 

The main question for the team management is, if Sooryavanshi gets the nod, which player might have to move out of the XI.

 

Dropping Abhishek Sharma looks unlikely, because his current form is too good to ignore. So the conversation naturally shifts toward Samson, whose recent numbers have already put a little heat on his spot.

 

Samson has taken criticism over the years for being inconsistent, and if India decide to debut Sooryavanshi during the England series, Samson could end up being the one facing the most pressure, at least in public talk.

 

Still, the final call will rest with the management, and up to now, there’s no official update, nothing confirmed.

 

Irfan Pathan’s big words for the teenager

 

During his chat on Jio Hotstar, Irfan Pathan didn’t hold back and made a bold kind of prediction about Sooryavanshi’s future.

 

Pathan said:

 

“This boy is very special. As I said before, whenever he plays for India, replacing someone, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will not allow that player to make a comeback again for the same position; he is such a special and talented cricketer we have ever seen.” 

 

Those comments clearly reflect how high the confidence is, from Pathan’s side. He feels Sooryavanshi has the skill set to become a regular part of the national team once he finally gets his opening.

 

Fans want him against England

 

India’s next T20I against England is set for July 4 at Old Trafford. And honestly, fans are hoping this is the game where Sooryavanshi finally gets his India cap, no more waiting.

 

Even former India legends Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri have backed the idea. They believe Sooryavanshi has already shown enough promise through his IPL performances.

 

In IPL 2026, he really impressed. He took on some of the world’s best bowlers, with a kind of fearless batting, and that raised expectations a lot. It also played a role in helping him earn his place in the national squad.

 

For now, the Indian team management has said the teenager is learning from senior players, and preparing for international cricket step by step. Whether his long wait ends at Old Trafford, is something only time will tell, but the calls for his debut are only getting louder, match after match.