India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev believes the Indian team management should pick Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the playing XI if they feel he is ready, without worrying about his age.

The 15-year-old batting sensation has been one of the biggest talking points of India’s tour of England after missing out on the playing XI in the T20I series against Ireland and the opening T20I against England despite an outstanding IPL 2026 season.

Sooryavanshi was the Orange Cap winner in IPL 2026 after scoring 776 runs in 16 matches for Rajasthan Royals. He batted at a staggering strike rate of 237.30 and also broke the record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, smashing 72 maximums.

ALSO READ: ‘Don’t Hype Him So Much’: Kapil Dev’s Big Advice On Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Despite Tendulkar-Kohli Comparison

Kapil acknowledged that many believe it may be too early to hand Sooryavanshi an international debut. However, he also warned that waiting too long could be a mistake. The former India captain cited Sachin Tendulkar’s example, recalling how there were similar doubts when the batting legend made his international debut at the age of 16.

ALSO READ: Shreyas Iyer-Led India Blamed For 'Overconfidence And Casualness' After 2-0 Defeat Against Ireland

Kapil also said that every great cricketer goes through difficult phases, and Sooryavanshi will be no different. According to him, the real challenge for the youngster will be how he responds when he eventually faces a lean patch.