Former spinner explains why Vaibhav Suryavanshi should be part of India’s ODI World Cup 2027 squad

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India‘s newest batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi continues to attract praise following his record-breaking international debut, with former India leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan backing the 15-year-old to earn a place in India’s squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Impressed by the youngster’s fearless approach and rapid rise through the ranks, Sivaramakrishnan believes Suryavanshi possesses the qualities needed to become a game-changing batter in white-ball cricket if he continues his remarkable development.

Suryavanshi etched his name into the record books after making his India debut in the second T20I against England at Old Trafford, becoming the youngest player ever to represent India in international cricket. At just 15 years and 99 days old, the left-handed batter justified the excitement surrounding him by playing with confidence against one of the world’s quickest bowling attacks.

During his brief stay at the crease, Suryavanshi scored 14 runs from only nine deliveries. Although the innings was short-lived, it featured towering sixes off the pace of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, underlining the fearless style that has made him one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the country.

Speaking to PTI, Sivaramakrishnan said the teenager deserves to be considered for next year’s 50-over World Cup if he continues to excel in international T20 cricket. According to the former spinner, Suryavanshi has the temperament and attacking ability to become a genuine match-winner across all white-ball formats. He believes that whenever the youngster settles in and scores heavily, India will have a player capable of deciding games on his own.

“He sure should get a chance at the upcoming 50 overs World Cup if he does exceedingly well in the T20 format. He should get an opportunity because he’s going to be a match winner. When he scores runs, he’s going to be a match-winner in all formats of white-ball cricket,” Sivaramakrishnan told PTI.

Sivaramakrishnan also stressed that India should avoid rushing Suryavanshi in and out of the team. Instead, he urged head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer to give the teenager an extended run so he can develop naturally at the highest level. The former spinner argued that young batters require consistent opportunities rather than frequent breaks, adding that regular cricket will help Suryavanshi improve both technically and mentally.

“He should be given a fair amount of chances with white ball cricket and see how he performs. He should continue. I mean, there’s no point in blooding a youngster and giving him a break or resting him. He doesn’t need rest. He can keep playing right throughout the year. Especially as a batter, he doesn’t need a bowler’s fitness. And batting for long periods of time will also give him that concentration, the mental work that he can do for long periods of time,” added Sivaramakrishnan.

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While Suryavanshi has now broken into India’s T20I squad, earning a place in the ODI side presents a much tougher challenge. India’s top order remains packed with established names, including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, all competing for opening roles ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Africa.

Despite the stiff competition, Suryavanshi’s credentials extend well beyond the shortest format. Before his international debut, the teenager had already built an impressive record in youth and domestic one-day cricket, piling up over 1,400 runs in Youth ODIs with four centuries to his name. Those performances demonstrated that his game is not restricted to T20 cricket and that he possesses the temperament required for longer white-ball innings.

However, it was his explosive performances in the Indian Premier League that accelerated his journey towards international cricket. Across two IPL seasons, Suryavanshi consistently dismantled experienced bowling attacks with an aggressive approach, maintaining an exceptional strike rate while dominating the powerplay.

His rich vein of form continued in age-group cricket, highlighted by a stunning 29-ball 94 against Sri Lanka in Dambulla and a memorable match-winning 175 in the Under-19 World Cup final against England earlier this year.

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