Vaibhav Suryavanshi continues to attract praise from some of the biggest names in Indian cricket following his sensational rise over the past few months. After taking the IPL 2026 season by storm and earning his maiden call-up to India’s T20I squad, the 15-year-old has now begun showcasing his talent in different conditions while representing India-A in the ongoing tri-series in Sri Lanka.
The young batter has already established himself as one of the most exciting prospects in world cricket, but questions remain about how his aggressive style will translate outside the T20 format. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, however, believes the teenager has already shown enough signs to suggest that he could develop into a major force in 50-over cricket as well.
Sanjay Manjrekar impressed by Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s all-round batting ability
Speaking on social media after watching India-A’s matches in Sri Lanka, Manjrekar revealed that he had been paying close attention to Suryavanshi’s batting away from the flat surfaces and high-scoring environment often associated with T20 cricket. The former batter explained that the conditions in Sri Lanka offered a better opportunity to assess the youngster’s overall game and was encouraged by what he saw.
Manjrekar further highlighted that Suryavanshi’s game is not solely built around power-hitting. According to him, the youngster displayed a solid defensive technique, good balance at the crease and the ability to time the ball effectively, traits that are crucial for success in longer white-ball formats.
“I am watching Vaibhav Suryavanshi quite closely. Whatever name he has made till now, it has been in the IPL and in T20Is, and that is not the right environment to diagnose a player. I know that this is just an ‘A’ series, but the pitches are not flat here, like it is in the IPL. But I was able to see some depth in Suryavanshi’s batting. Now I am a bit excited after seeing his batting. If you are thinking that he is just a T20 slogger, then you are wrong. I saw him defend quite well with a straight bat, I have seen him time the ball well. I know the sample size is small, but I think he can be a 50-over phenomenon as well,” he said.
Suryavanshi continues to build momentum with India A
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) star arrived in Sri Lanka on the back of a dream IPL campaign where he won the Orange Cap after amassing 776 runs in 16 matches. His remarkable performances also earned him a place in India’s squad for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England.
Before joining the senior national setup, Suryavanshi has been gaining valuable experience with India-A. After scoring 14 runs on his debut in the tri-series, he produced a far more convincing display in his second outing against Afghanistan-A. The left-hander smashed 44 runs off just 22 deliveries, playing several eye-catching strokes before falling to a short ball. Although he narrowly missed out on a half-century, the innings further reinforced the belief that he possesses the temperament and adaptability required to succeed across formats.
India-A currently sit second in the tri-series standings and will next take on Sri Lanka-A on June 15. Alongside Suryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad have also been performing well in the tri-series. Another strong performance from Suryavanshi could further strengthen the growing belief that India’s newest batting sensation is capable of becoming a long-term star in 50-over cricket.
