AB De Villiers Advocates for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Inclusion in India's Squad

Former South African cricketer AB De Villiers has called for the inclusion of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in India's lineup after his stellar IPL performance. Despite his impressive run, Sooryavanshi has yet to play in the ongoing series against Ireland and England. De Villiers argues that the Ireland series was the perfect opportunity for the young talent to gain international experience. He also highlights the need for India to adapt their strategies to the challenging conditions in the UK following their recent defeat to England. Read on to discover more about De Villiers' insights and the future of Indian cricket.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 3, 2026, 11:53 IST

AB De Villiers Calls for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Debut

AB De Villiers, the former South African cricket star, has expressed his desire for India to include 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in their playing XI. Sooryavanshi had an outstanding performance in IPL 2026, securing the Orange Cap with a remarkable total of 776 runs. His impressive form earned him a spot in the Indian squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England. However, he has yet to make his debut, remaining on the bench during India's three matches, including two against Ireland and the first T20I against England.

With Sanju Samson struggling in his last three outings, the pressure is mounting on the management to give Sooryavanshi a chance. Despite this, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate defended Samson after the disappointing results against Ireland, stating that he had previously performed well in the T20 World Cup and that Sooryavanshi would need to wait for his opportunity. De Villiers, however, disagrees with this stance, arguing that the Ireland series was an ideal moment to introduce Sooryavanshi to international cricket. He stated, “When will he be unleashed? I thought the Ireland series was the perfect opportunity for him to come in and get a feel for international cricket. It was unfortunate that he never got an opportunity,” during a discussion on his YouTube channel.

De Villiers further emphasized that after Sooryavanshi's stellar IPL performance, it was time to give him a chance, especially against a team like Ireland. He remarked, “I beg to differ with Ryan Ten Doeschate, saying Suryavanshi has to go through the process like any other player. After the IPL he had, it was time to throw him into the deep end, especially against a lower team like Ireland.”

De Villiers Highlights India's Challenges

'There Is Some Work to Do' - De Villiers Warns Team India

De Villiers also pointed out that India has some adjustments to make following their defeat to England. He noted that the team needs to adapt their strategy to suit the conditions in the UK, which differ significantly from those in India. He explained, “There is some work to do for Team India. They need to regroup, reset, and find a method to play in the UK. It's not easy under those conditions, where the scores aren't like they are in the IPL. You don't get to the 250s and 260s there. It is more strategic and tactical out there, where sometimes 140 or 160 is enough.”