The omission of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from India's latest U-19 squad has raised eyebrows. The teenage batting sensation has already made his senior India debut
and enjoyed a phenomenal 2026 U-19 World Cup campaign.
However, his absence from the squad for Australia's upcoming tour of India is not linked to form, fitness or selection preference. Instead, it is connected to a BCCI eligibility policy concerning repeat appearances at the U-19 World Cup.
The BCCI announced separate India U-19 squads for the three 50-over matches and two multi-day fixtures against Australia. The one-day games will be played in Rajkot on September 18, 21 and 23, while the longer-format matches are scheduled for Rajkot and Ahmedabad between September 27 and October 8.
Sooryavanshi, despite being only 15, has already played in the 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup. He was one of the defining performers of India's title-winning campaign, smashing a sensational 175 off 80 balls against England in the final. The innings featured 15 fours and 15 sixes and earned him Player of the Tournament honours.
Why is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not included in India U19 Squad?
The key point is that age alone does not determine whether a player can continue appearing in future U-19 World Cups. The BCCI had introduced a policy in 2016 under which players would not be allowed to participate in more than one U-19 World Cup, even if they remained age-eligible.
That rule has previously affected players such as Washington Sundar, who could not feature in the 2018 U-19 World Cup after playing in the 2016 edition.
Therefore, Sooryavanshi's omission from the current U-19 setup should not be interpreted as a setback. He has already moved well beyond the junior level. In June, the BCCI selected him for India's T20I squads against Ireland and England, while he was also included for the 2026 Asian Games.
He has subsequently continued to be considered for senior-level opportunities, including India's T20I series in Zimbabwe.
So, while Sooryavanshi is technically still a teenager and remains eligible by age, the BCCI's one-World-Cup policy effectively closes the U-19 World Cup route for him. He recently made his senior India debut and is expected to follow that direction in coming days.
