New Delhi, June 6: A festive atmosphere enveloped Tajpur village in Samastipur district, Bihar, on Saturday as young left-handed batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi was selected for the Indian cricket team for the first time. He has been included in the T20 squad for the upcoming tours to Ireland and England, as well as for the Asian Games in Japan.
As soon as the announcement was made by Secretary Devjeet Saikia at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, celebrations erupted in Tajpur. Villagers, relatives, and well-wishers flocked to his home, sharing sweets and bursting firecrackers to express their joy.
Vaibhav’s father, Sanjeev Suryavanshi, shared his excitement, stating that the entire family had eagerly awaited this moment. “We were at home, waiting for good news. As soon as the selection was announced, the whole village came to congratulate us. Sweets were distributed, and firecrackers were set off. We are extremely happy. Vaibhav has dreamed of playing for the country since childhood, and today his hard work has paid off,” he said.
In the IPL 2026, Vaibhav excelled while playing for the Rajasthan Royals, scoring 776 runs and hitting 72 sixes. Before joining the senior team, he will participate in the India-A triangular ODI series in Sri Lanka from June 9 to 21.
If Vaibhav makes his international debut during the tours to Ireland or England, he will become the first player to represent India in international cricket before turning 16. The legendary Sachin Tendulkar made his Test debut at the age of 16 years and 205 days, while Washington Sundar holds the record for the youngest T20 international player for India at 18 years and 80 days.
Sanjeev expressed his confidence in Vaibhav’s selection, attributing it to his outstanding performances in England, Australia, South Africa, the Under-19 World Cup, the Emerging Asia Cup, and the IPL, which caught the selectors’ attention. “We are grateful that the BCCI selectors have shown faith in Vaibhav. I had a feeling he would be selected this time,” he said.
Reflecting on Vaibhav’s journey, his father recalled starting his cricket training at the age of five. He would travel nearly two and a half hours from Tajpur to Patna’s Gen Next Academy every other day for practice. Meanwhile, his mother, Aarti Singh, would wake up at 3 AM to prepare home-cooked meals for him.
Sanjeev remarked, “Every parent works hard for their children. We also put in a lot of effort for Vaibhav, but the real hard work was done by him. When he was 8-10 years old, we realized he had something special. Today, his dream has come true, and we are immensely proud.”
At just 12 years old, Vaibhav became the youngest player to play in the Ranji Trophy and is now ready to don the blue jersey of the Indian team. His father emotionally stated, “We hope everyone continues to bless him; he will further bring glory to the country.”
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