Sooryavanshi is too good to not play for India: Ashwin

New Delhi: Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin heaped rich praise on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after his breathtaking innings powered Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a commanding eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their IPL 2026 opener in Guwahati on Monday, and mentioned that he must not be hurried into India’s international setup.

Sooryavanshi’s explosive 52 off just 17 balls, which saw him make a 15-ball half-century, dismantled CSK’s bowling attack and set up the chase after RR had earlier restricted the five-time champions to a below-par total of 127. The youngster’s fearless strokeplay in the powerplay, where RR raced to 74 without loss, left the opposition with no way back.

Ashwin urged patience in handling the 15-year-old prodigy and cautioned against rushing his progression.

“Don’t give him such a target. He is not even a guy, he is a kid. If MS Dhoni is playing till 45 (44), and if Sooryavanshi plays till 40, he has two and a half decades left in cricket. Leave him alone, he will come on his own when the time is right. He is too good to not play for India. He will play anyway eventually. When will he play? For that, we might have to wait a bit. Why are we always in a hurry?” Ashwin said while speaking on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin was equally effusive in his assessment of the youngster’s raw ability, highlighting both his bat speed and composure against a seasoned bowling attack. “He turned 15 years old, so he scored a 15-ball 50, he is showing his age. I mean, what a player he is? How fast is his bat speed? CSK had no answers against him, they looked a flat, deflated unit on the field. RR have put on such a dominating performance that they have said, ‘Look at us, we are also a powerful team in this competition’,” he expressed.

RR began their IPL 2026 campaign in dominant fashion with a victory over CSK. Sooryavanshi was the stand-out performer, hitting the third fastest fifty in IPL history. After Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, Yashasvi Jaiswal (38*) and skipper Riyan Parag (14*) comfortably guided the team home with 47 balls remaining.

IANS