U19 World Cup 2026: 'Vaibhav Suryavanshi's U19 run could hurt him' - Former India cricketer makes stunning statement

Former India batter WV Raman suggested that Vaibhav Suryavanshi following the traditional route to international cricket despite his staggering success at a very young age could eventually hinder his progress.

Suryavanshi, who has done well for India A and also in the Indian Premier League, is currently representing the Indian team in the U19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia. However, Raman believes that this could have a deleterious effect on Suryavanshi's growth. While Raman said that the Bihar

batter could win India a few games at the U19 level, it would not help him in the long run.

“This could be an unpopular opinion. #Suryavanshi has performed extremely well in the A series and the IPL. Making him play at the U-19 level is likely to be detrimental to his growth. He may win matches no doubt, but it should always be about the big picture!” Raman wrote on 'X' (formerly Twitter).

Suryavanshi burst onto the scene last year after making his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut at the age of just 14. He slammed a belligerent ton against a formidable Gujarat Titans' bowling attack. The southpaw brought up the three-figure score in just 35 balls. He finished the campaign with 252 runs in seven innings at a healthy average of 36 and a mind-boggling strike rate of 206.56.

Suryavanshi is one of the players to look out for in the Indian team during the U19 World Cup. He was dismissed for two runs against the USA in the opening match of the global event on Thursday, January 15. The Tajpur-born will want to bounce back strongly when India lock horns with Bangladesh in Bulawayo on Saturday.