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BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla on Saturday praised the selection of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the Indian cricket team for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, as well as the Asian Games in Japan, calling it a "significant milestone" in the young batter's career.
The 15-year-old, who was named in the Indian cricket squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, as well as the Asian Games, became the youngest-ever player to be picked for the national side, breaking a 36-year-old record held by legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar had made his India debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16, setting a record that stood for a very long time. Speaking to ANI, Shukla said, "It is actually an excellent selection. A very balanced team has been formed, whether for the England and Ireland tours, the India A squad for Sri Lanka, or the team for the Asian Games in Japan. Shreyas Iyer's appointment as captain is a positive move; congratulations to him. Also, young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been given an opportunity in international cricket. This is a significant milestone, and expectations are high that he will go far; he will now have the chance to showcase his talent on the international stage. "So, huge congratulations to him as well. Most of the talented players currently performing well have been accommodated. An excellent job has been done, and the BCCI has selected the teams very well. Congratulations to everyone. I believe we will emerge victorious, be it the England or Ireland tours, the Asian Games in Japan, or the India A tour of Sri Lanka. I am also fully confident that we will put up a strong performance in the ongoing series against Afghanistan," Shukla added. Sooryavanshi had a historic Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season where the rising sensation didn't just break out, he utterly dominated. The Bihar-born sensation spearheaded a clean sweep at the tournament's post-season awards, capturing an unprecedented haul including Most Valuable Player (MVP), Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker, the Orange Cap, and Super Sixes of the Season. The 15-year-old had an extraordinary tournament for Rajasthan Royals (RR), finishing as the highest run-scorer with 776 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 237.30. Sooryavanshi's consistent performances, including a record-breaking 72 sixes, helped him surpass several long-standing IPL records and establish himself as one of the most promising talents in Indian cricket during the 2026 season. Shukla also welcomed Shreyas Iyer's appointment as captain, describing it as a "positive move", and praised the BCCI for accommodating most of the talented players currently performing well. "An excellent job has been done, and the BCCI has selected the teams very well," he added. Playing for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), the young southpaw systematically dismantled elite bowling attacks across the country, setting blistering new benchmarks for T20 cricket. He finished as the tournament's highest run-scorer with a staggering 776 runs, maintained an astonishing scoring clip of 237.30 and set a historic single-season record by launching a massive 72 sixes. (ANI)
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