Vaibhav Suryavanshi should be fast-tracked into the Indian team like Sachin Tendulkar, says Zubin Bharucha

Published - 07 Oct 2025, 17:07 IST | Updated - 07 Oct 2025, 17:30 IST

Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) Director of High Performance, Zubin Bharucha, believes that teenage cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi is ready for a call-up to the senior Indian squad. According to reports, Bharucha has already urged chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar to consider the youngster for senior team selection, expressing confidence that he can make a significant impact at the international level.

Bharucha drew a direct comparison between cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar and Suryavanshi, further emphasising the urgency of the youngster’s inclusion. Suryavanshi became a household name following his explosive debut in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals earlier this year.

“He should be fast-tracked into the senior team, just like Sachin Tendulkar was when he first broke through. They need to give this guy a chance immediately. He’s operating in a completely different zone. At the very least, send him on an India A tour. With the Australian bowling attack here, if he faced them, he would’ve scored a double century,” Bharucha was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

The left-handed opener set a new record for the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history, reaching the milestone in just 35 balls. Earlier in 2025, he had also stunned fans in youth ODIs against England, scoring the fastest century in youth ODI cricket. Remarkably, he made his first-class debut at just 12 years old and gained attention with a memorable century against Australia in the U-19 Youth Test.

That performance earned him an INR 1.1 crore contract with Rajasthan Royals, making him the youngest player ever in the cash-rich league. Bharucha also recalled a memorable moment during an RR training session, where Suryavanshi faced England’s fiery pacer Jofra Archer in the nets.

“When Vaibhav faced Jofra, I was nervous. But this boy hit one shot off the back foot that flew out of the stadium. Everyone, including Jofra, was stunned,” said Bharucha.

With the IPL 2026 auctions approaching, Rajasthan Royals are likely to retain the Samastipur-born for the upcoming season. If that happens, Suryavanshi will become the youngest player ever in the history of the Indian Premier League to get retained.