Mumbai, June 7, 2026
South African great AB de Villiers has thrown his weight behind teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s selection in India’s T20I squad, saying the youngster has done enough to earn his opportunity at the highest level despite his tender age.
Speaking at a private event, de Villiers said it would have been easy for selectors to overlook the 15-year-old and opt for a more experienced player, but felt Vaibhav’s performances had made the decision impossible to ignore.
“It would have been easy to say that he’s still too young and he’s not ready and go for more experience. He’s broken down the door, and he deserves his place in the India T20 team, so I’m happy for him,” de Villiers said.
Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson also showered praise on the teenager during the same event, highlighting both his extraordinary power-hitting ability and fearless approach to batting.
Asked which qualities he would borrow from current Indian cricketers, Watson immediately picked Vaibhav and pointed to the youngster’s ability to clear boundaries in all directions.
“Number one, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, for the power that he’s got all around the ground, not just straight or to the leg side. Not just straight or to the leg side, it’s also over the offside,” Watson said.
The former Australian star was even more impressed by Vaibhav’s mindset, describing fearlessness as one of the defining traits behind his rapid rise.
“And also to go with that, Vaibhav’s fearless mindset as well. He’s got no fear of getting out, which is something that I struggled with for a decent part of my career,” he added.
Vaibhav earned his maiden India call-up on Saturday after a remarkable IPL 2026 campaign. Representing Rajasthan Royals, the left-handed opener finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 776 runs, including a century and five half-centuries, and was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the season.
His selection has made him one of the youngest players ever named in an Indian senior squad, and he is now in line to become India’s youngest international cricketer if he makes his debut in the upcoming T20I series.(Agency)
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