Gavaskar Calls Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ‘God’s Gift to Indian Cricket’, Backs Him for England Tour

New Delhi: Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has thrown his weight behind teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India’s upcoming white-ball tour of England, calling the 15-year-old “God’s gift to Indian cricket” after his explosive IPL Eliminator knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Sooryavanshi stunned fans and experts alike with a blistering 97 off just 29 balls, narrowly missing what could have been one of the fastest centuries in IPL history. Gavaskar was particularly impressed with the youngster’s fearless batting and his ability to dominate experienced international bowlers, including a straight six off Australian pacer Pat Cummins.

“2026 will be remembered as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Year. He is ready to play T20 International cricket,” Gavaskar said during a Sports Tak YouTube show.

Backing the teenager for the England T20 series, Gavaskar said the selectors should reward such extraordinary performances immediately.

“For England away T20 series, he deserves to be selected after this brilliant show. If you don’t give him a chance after this performance, when will you?” he asked.

The former India captain dismissed concerns about Sooryavanshi’s age, saying the youngster’s fearless approach and ability to attack top-quality bowling made him stand apart.

“Don’t go by his age. He is hitting bowlers who are much older than him. At 15, he is taking on bowlers with 15 years of international experience. Just look at his fearless approach,” Gavaskar said.

However, Gavaskar admitted that fitting Sooryavanshi into India’s playing XI could create selection headaches, with established names like Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson competing for top-order spots.

“Yes, there will be a headache over whom to drop. But it’s a happy headache. It shows the depth of talent Indian cricket has,” he said.

Gavaskar also suggested that even if Sooryavanshi does not make the final XI immediately, being part of the squad would be invaluable for his development.

“I think he should definitely be in the squad of 15 or 16 players. Whether he plays in the XI can be decided later, but the experience he gains in that dressing room will be priceless,” he added.

Praising the youngster’s batting technique, Gavaskar said Sooryavanshi is far from being just another power hitter.

“When people think of six-hitters, they think of sloggers. But this kid hits straight sixes over long-on and long-off with technical perfection,” Gavaskar remarked.

He further highlighted the teenager’s ability to handle short-pitched bowling with remarkable confidence and timing.

“When bowlers try short balls, he gets inside the line and hooks and pulls with such cleanliness. That is a rarity,” he said.

Gavaskar also recalled an emotional moment before the match when Sooryavanshi walked up to him and touched his feet as a mark of respect.

“Our upbringing teaches us to respect elders. He touched my feet and also touched Sanjay Bangar’s feet. I simply told him, ‘Lage Raho’ (Carry on),” Gavaskar shared.

Drawing parallels with seeing a young Sachin Tendulkar during his early Mumbai days, Gavaskar said Sooryavanshi possesses a rare natural gift.

“When I first saw Sachin, I felt he too was God’s gift. Vaibhav has that extraordinary spark,” he said.

Ending on a lighter note, Gavaskar added: “I don’t want that kid in him to grow up.”