India’s teenage prodigy, Vaibhav Suryavanshi etched his name into history with a breathtaking performance in the U19 World Cup 2026 final against England in Harare. Just 14 years old, the left-handed batter produced a sensational knock of 175 off only 80 balls, powering India to their sixth U19 World Cup title.
Suryavanshi’s innings was packed with milestones. Most notably, he registered the highest individual score ever in a U19 World Cup final, underlining his status as one of the brightest young talents Indian cricket has seen in years. With a growing list of centuries and record-breaking feats already behind him, calls for his promotion to the senior men’s team have only grown louder.
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Among those backing a fast-track entry is Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who drew parallels between Suryavanshi and a young Sachin Tendulkar.
“Vaibhav Suryavanshi deserves to be fast-tracked into higher honours. The last time we had a 14-year-old genius at the crease, his name was Sachin Tendulkar. And we didn’t keep him waiting long,” Tharoor wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
For context, Tendulkar made his international debut in 1989 at the age of 16, following a trail of extraordinary performances in school and domestic cricket, including his famous first appearance against Pakistan.
However, despite the hype and comparisons, Suryavanshi will have to wait before donning the India cap. The young batter is currently restricted by the ICC’s Minimum Age Policy, introduced in 2020 to protect the physical and mental well-being of young players. As per the regulation, a cricketer must be at least 15 years old to play international cricket.
Born on 27 March 2011, Suryavanshi was still 14 at the time of India’s U19 World Cup triumph in February 2026. As a result, the earliest he can be considered for senior international selection is 27 March 2026.
Until then, regardless of how many rapid-fire centuries he scores for Bihar or how many IPL bowlers he dismantles for the Rajasthan Royals, the national selectors’ hands remain firmly tied.
