Our Bureau
New Delhi
Young cricket star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is tipped to play a major role in the BCCI’s urgent plan to fix India’s Test cricket troubles. The 15-year-old left-handed opener from Bihar has caught the eye with his explosive batting in the IPL and Under-19 World Cup.
The BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), led by VVS Laxman, is launching a big red-ball project after IPL 2026 ends in June-July. This includes a four-day red-ball tournament to spot new Test talents under 25 years old. Talents like Vaibhav and Ayush Mhatre will get priority in High Performance Camps in Bengaluru over the next year.
A BCCI source said that coaches and selectors must focus on red-ball skills for U-19 players too. The plan aims to build a steady supply of Test players for the next decade. After an intra-CoE event, 25 players will form India Emerging and India A teams for shadow tours.
Vaibhav’s stats show his promise. In IPL, he played 9 matches, scored 335 runs at a strike rate of 213.38, with one century (101 off 38 balls vs Gujarat Titans) and two fifties. His highest is 101, with 27 fours and 30 sixes, averaging 37.22.
Senior selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir will help shape the roadmap. This comes after India’s T20 World Cup win earlier this year, but Test form has worried the board.
BCCI leaders want red-ball focus now, even for young guns like Vaibhav. If he shines, his path to India’s Test team could open fast.
