There is a lot of discussion about the debut of Vaibhav Suryavanshi before the India-England second T20I. Meanwhile, Kapil Dev said that if a player is ready then his ability should be seen not his age.
Kapil Dev on Vaibhav Suryavanshi: The second match of the five-match T20I series between India and England will be played at the Old Trafford ground in Manchester on Saturday. Before this match, the biggest discussion is about young batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The 15-year-old batsman, who made it to Team India after showing brilliant performance in the IPL, is still waiting for his international debut. Fans and many former cricketers are constantly demanding his inclusion in the playing eleven. Meanwhile, captain Kapil Dev, who won the 1983 World Cup for India, has given important advice to this young player.
‘As good as Sachin and Virat in talent’
Kapil Dev openly praised the talent of Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He said that in terms of talent, this young batsman can be compared with legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. However, he also said that right now Vaibhav has shown his potential only in T20 cricket. He will still have to prove his ability in longer formats like Test and ODI.
‘Don’t look at the age, look at the ability of the player’
Kapil Dev also said that if the team management feels that Vaibhav is ready, then he should be given a chance to debut. Giving the example of Sachin Tendulkar’s early international career, he said that at the time of selection, the player’s ability should not be given priority but his age. Kapil Dev said, “He is a brilliant player in T20. It is very rare to find players who leave such an impact at such a young age. Sachin was also very young when he joined Team India. Even at that time, questions were raised whether this decision was hasty. But history shows that sometimes delay can be more harmful. If a player is ready, then his ability should not be seen but his age.”
Advice to avoid too much hype
Kapil Dev believes that Vaibhav Suryavanshi is a very talented player, but excessive pressure should not be put on him at this time. During an interview, Kapil Dev said, “I have not seen him play much. There is no doubt that he is very talented. But I think we are talking too much about him. Give him some time now. Don’t hype him so much. He is still young and he is not old enough to understand everything completely.”
Had a great performance in IPL 2026
Vaibhav Suryavanshi batted brilliantly in IPL and scored 776 runs. During this period his strike rate was 237.30. Thanks to his strong performance, Rajasthan Royals made it to the playoffs. On the basis of this performance, he was included in the Indian team for the T20I series against Ireland and England as well as the Asian Games.
Didn’t get a chance in Ireland T20I
Despite selection in the Indian team, Vaibhav Suryavanshi did not get a chance to play in both the T20 matches played against Ireland. Since his selection, fans and many former cricketers were continuously demanding his debut. This demand intensified after India’s 2-0 defeat against Ireland and the poor performance of the top order in both the matches.
Discussion of debut continues in England Series also
There is constant discussion about Vaibhav’s debut in the series against England. However, the first T20I played at Chester-le-Street remained inconclusive due to rain and Vaibhav remained on the bench throughout the season. Due to continuous rain, no result could be achieved in the match and the series is still tied.
Old Trafford T20I: Will you get a chance to debut in Manchester?
Now all eyes are on the second T20I match to be held at Old Trafford, Manchester. The biggest question is whether Team India will give 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi a chance to play his first international match in this match or he will have to wait once again. Fans hope that considering the excellent form of this young batsman, the team management can take a decision on including him in the playing eleven.