The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season has thrown up a number of probables for India’s T20I squads in the future, with many calling for the inclusion of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenage sensation has smashed 254 runs in just seven matches so far in IPL 2026 for Rajasthan Royals (RR). Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) coach Chandrakant Pandit, who won the IPL title in 2024, has warned the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over Sooryavanshi’s potential India debut.
Pandit stated that while the time may be right to hand him a senior India debut, the BCCI need to be careful in the way they handle the 15-year-old’s career.
“With a young talent like him (Sooryavanshi), the key questions are when to give him opportunities, when to hold back, and against which teams he should be introduced. The aim is to nurture him properly. The selectors will certainly be considering all of this carefully,” Pandit said in an interview with RevSportz.
“Players like this are rare, and when they come along, everyone – from selectors to team-mates – takes notice. I believe the time is right to give him an opportunity. However, it’s equally important to give him enough space and time to settle in, because international cricket is a different challenge and can bring pressure, especially for a young player,” Pandit added.
One of the most successful coaches in Indian domestic cricket, Chandrakant Pandit batted for the India re-selection of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar. Pandit presently coaches Patidar at his state team, Madhya Pradesh.
“Definitely he (Patidar) has got the quality and he should be playing. I mean, on these performances where he is now scoring runs in T20, the way he has been batting – it’s not only about scoring but the way he is batting, the way he is dominating. Obviously, he should get the opportunity,” Pandit stated.
Patidar has been one of the most impressive middle-order batters in IPL 2026, smashing 230 runs in just six games, at a strike-rate of 212.96.
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