Indian Sanju Samson (ANI Image)
Calls for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to make his debut for India continue to grow after his remarkable rise over the past few months, but former BCCI selector Saba Karim believes the team management are right to be patient with the teenage sensation.Sooryavanshi has earned a place in India’s senior T20I team after a sensational IPL 2026 campaign in which he scored a record 776 runs. If selected, he will become India’s youngest-ever international cricketer, overtaking Sachin Tendulkar. However, despite growing requests from fans and former cricketers to speed up his debut, Karim feels there is no reason to change his settled batting line-up.
Speaking on Star Sports Follow the Blues, Karim defended Sanju Samson’s place in the team, pointing out the wicket-keeper-batsman’s recent performances for India.“I don’t think so at this stage. Sanju Samson is a great player. He was a match-winner. He had a very good season in the Indian Premier League. And before that, he was the player of the tournament in the T20 World Cup. What are we looking at? Sanju Samson will think, ‘Why is everyone pointing a gun at me?'” Saba said.Karim also stressed that just being part of the senior national team at the age of 15 is a milestone for Suryavanshi and an opportunity to develop on and off the field.
“Even for Vaibhav Suryavanshi, this is a good learning curve. He also understands that to make it into this Indian XI, you have to deserve a call-up. This environment will help him grow as a player and as a human being. Even though he has an incredible amount of talent, when you get into such a competitive environment, you have to bide your time,” he added.Former India batter
Cheteshwar Pujara
who was also part of the discussion, shared a similar view, describing Suryavanshi’s inclusion in the national team as a major achievement in itself.“This is a huge opportunity for him. He may not have got a chance in the playing XI, but he is part of the Indian team. It is a big deal to be in the 15-member squad and it is a dream come true moment for him. When he gets a chance in the playing XI, it will be an even bigger moment,” Pujara said.“He will have to wait for his chance. It is a big positive for Vaibhav Suryavanshi that he is part of the team. He is training with the players and being in an environment where there are top cricketers and coaches around him to learn from them. He is an exceptional talent, but he will have to wait a bit to get this opportunity.”India is currently touring England for a five-match T20I series. The opener in Durham was called off after rain halted play after the first innings, with the second T20I scheduled for Saturday.