Sehwag says Sooryavanshi's mindset mirrors his own

Former India opener Virender Sehwag said he sees a reflection of his own batting philosophy in teenage Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during a discussion at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual session on Saturday, and the 47-year-old backed the youngster to make the most of opportunities for India.

Sehwag described Sooryavanshi as sharing his instinct to attack from the first ball and called the left-hander a prime example of fearless batting, saying the approach sets him apart as a prospect. “Sooryavanshi is in his prime, and his thinking is somewhat similar to mine, that of hitting right from the first ball. Now, it is about when he gets the opportunity and how many matches he plays for India,” Sehwag said.

Sooryavanshi made his senior international debut in July 2026 against England and became India’s youngest international cricketer at 15 years and 99 days. On debut in Manchester he scored 14 off 10 balls as India suffered a defeat, a performance the selectors and Sehwag noted for its attacking intent.

Despite his early promise, Sooryavanshi has not been a regular in India’s playing XI; he has remained part of squads but team combinations and competition for opening slots have limited his match time. He was omitted from India’s XI for the fifth T20I against England and missed the first two T20Is against the West Indies.

At the Asian Games Sooryavanshi played in both the semifinal and the final, scoring 38 against Sri Lanka and 15 against Pakistan in those matches. Those appearances added to his international exposure across different high-pressure fixtures.

Across eight T20Is so far, the left-handed batter has scored 246 runs. He has a batting average of 30.75, a strike rate of 186.36 and a highest score of 81.

On the question of age and selection, Sehwag dismissed concerns and argued that once players reach senior levels performance should determine selection rather than age: “Look, if you are playing in an age-category, it makes sense — if it’s Under-19, your age should be under 19. But once you play the IPL or play for India, age doesn’t matter. A 38- or 40-year-old (Virat) Kohli is playing, and a 15-year-old (Vaibhav) Sooryavanshi is also playing. Then, performance matters,” Sehwag said.