'Why Are We in a Hurry?' Ravichandran Ashwin Questions Early India Call for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has commented on the growing conversation around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's potential early India debut. The 15-year-old batter has taken the IPL 2026 season by storm with his scintillating 15-ball fifty for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings.
The 15-year-old's performance has caught the eyes of numerous former players and fans and Mohammad Kaif and Michael Vaughan are among those who have backed the idea of giving the 15-year-old a shot at the Indian side. Ashwin, however, feels differently.
Ashwin stated that rushing a young player to make their international debut would not be the correct step and said that the 15-year-old is too young to have the target of a debut.
On his YouTube Channel, Ashwin said
"Don't give him such a target. He is not even a man, he is a kid. If MS Dhoni is playing until 45 [44], and if Sooryavanshi plays until 40, he has two and a half decades left in cricket. Leave him alone, he will come on his own when the time is right. He is too good not to play for India. He will play anyway eventually. When will he play? For that, we might have to wait a bit. Why are we always in a hurry?"
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Sooryavanshi has been in extraordinary form throughout the IPL 2026 season and he is among the fastest to reach a fifty after doing so in just 15 balls, which is also among the fastest IPL fifties ever.
The 15-year-old has already made a significant impact throughout the season and he has also become the first Rajasthan Royals player to score many quick fifties under the age of 18 and his bold hitting has him among the most spoken about players of the tournament so far.
Even Ashwin backed Sooryavanshi's extraordinary performance and added:
"He turned 15 years old, so he scored a 15-ball 50 - he is showing his age. I mean, what a player he is! How fast is his bat speed? CSK had no answers against him; they looked a flat, deflated unit on the field. RR have put on such a dominating performance that they have said, 'Look at us, we are also a powerful team in this competition'."
However, for the time being the 15-year-old will continue to showcase his brilliance in the IPL 2026 season and Ashwin continues to advocate for him to be allowed to mature and grow as per his own pace before getting drafted to international cricket.