Vaibhav Suryavanshi declared ‘absolutely ready’ for T20 World Cup 2026 as pressure mounts on Shubman Gill

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s childhood coach, Manish Ojha, has backed the young Indian batter to enter international cricket ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. Ojha urged the BCCI to consider the 14-year-old for India’s T20I plans, saying he has the skill and mindset needed to cope with the pressures of top-level cricket.

Suryavanshi once again grabbed attention with a sensational knock in the U19 Asia Cup. The teenage batter smashed 171 off 95 balls against the UAE in Dubai, including nine fours and a record 14 sixes, the most ever in a single Youth ODI innings. The Men in Blue secured a 234-run victory after posting 433 in 50 overs.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi Is Absolutely Ready for a Break in the Indian Team - Manish Ojha

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s childhood coach believes the young batter is prepared for international cricket. Manish Ojha said that Suryavanshi has shown maturity and skill, adding that he smashed international and domestic bowlers with confidence in IPL 2025.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

“I believe he’s absolutely ready for a break in the Indian team," Ojha told My Khel. “Look at his IPL performances – he faced international bowlers, domestic stars, and even India players with fearless strokeplay, smashing big shots against the best."

Suryavanshi grabbed attention during the IPL after scoring a century for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) against the Gujarat Titans (GT). He became the youngest player to reach three figures in the tournament. The batter scored hundreds against England, Australia, twice against the UAE, and once for Bihar.

BCCI Could Slot Vaibhav Suryavanshi Into World Cup Squad - Manish Ojha

Manish Ojha believes Vaibhav Suryavanshi has done enough to be considered for India’s T20 World Cup plans. He added that the teenager has shown complete control and consistency across age-group cricket in different countries, conditions, and tournaments.

“In U-19 cricket, whether it was the England tour, Australia’s, or the Asia Cup – across emerging teams, every field, every pitch, every condition – he’s dominated," Ojha stated.

"He’s consistent against all types of bowlers, delivering massive hundreds every time. In my view, he’s perfectly ready for a T20 chance. Team India management or the BCCI could slot him into the World Cup squad, and I’m 100% confident he’ll keep progressing if given the chance," he added.

I Was Seeing That Double Century - Manish Ojha

Manish Ojha felt Vaibhav Suryavanshi could have scored a double century against the UAE. He said that the teenager should continue improving and pushing his personal limits.

“The way he was batting, I was seeing that double century today. If he had played 10-15 more balls, it would have been a double century. Anyway, what he has done is also very commendable. But there is no limit to greatness. A person should enhance his performance and excellence at every step," Ojha said.'

Only a few cricketers have made their international debuts at just 14 years of age, with Hasan Raza, Meet Bhavsar, and George Sesay being the only examples so far.

Meanwhile, Suryavanshi had a quiet outing against Pakistan in the U-19 Asia Cup. The left-handed batter was dismissed for five runs. He has the second-highest run score in the tournament.

Also read: IPL Auction 2026 hit by late twist as BCCI adds 19 new players at last moment; Franchises left stunned