Mumbai: Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi has received his maiden India A call-up following an outstanding run in the Indian Premier League 2026 season.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) included the young batting sensation in the India A squad for the upcoming tri-series against Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, rewarding him for his remarkable performances in the IPL.
The India A side will be led by Tilak Varma, while Riyan Parag has been named vice-captain for the tournament.
Strong IPL season earns recognition
Vaibhav Suryavanshi has emerged as one of the biggest stories of the IPL 2026 season after scoring 440 runs in 11 matches at an explosive strike rate of 236.
The teenager continued his rapid rise after impressing during the previous IPL season, where he had already attracted national attention with fearless batting performances.
Cricket observers have hailed his consistency, stroke play and maturity despite his young age, with many describing him as one of India’s brightest emerging talents.
The India A tri-series is scheduled to begin on June 9 immediately after the conclusion of the IPL season and will continue until June 21.
India A squad announced
The BCCI named a 15-member squad for the white-ball tournament featuring several young players who have performed strongly in domestic cricket and the IPL.
India A squad for tri-series
- Tilak Varma (Captain)
- Priyansh Arya
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi
- Riyan Parag (Vice-captain)
- Ayush Badoni
- Nishant Sindhu
- Harsh Dubey
- Suryansh Shedge
- Prabhsimran Singh (Wicketkeeper)
- Kumar Kushagra (Wicketkeeper)
- Vipraj Nigam
- Yash Thakur
- Yudhvir Singh
- Anshul Kamboj
- Arshad Khan
The white-ball matches will be played in Dambulla, while two multi-day matches against Sri Lanka A are scheduled later in Galle.
The BCCI said the squad for the red-ball matches would be announced separately.
Rapid rise through domestic cricket
Vaibhav Suryavanshi first grabbed headlines after making his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar at the age of 12, becoming one of the youngest players ever to feature in India’s premier domestic first-class tournament.
His debut came earlier than former Indian stars such as Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh in terms of age.
The youngster further announced himself during India Under-19 matches against Australia, where he smashed a century in only 58 balls during a Youth Test in Chennai.
His explosive innings of 104 off 62 deliveries included 14 boundaries and four sixes and became one of the fastest centuries recorded in youth international cricket.
IPL success strengthens reputation
The cricketing world took greater notice during the Indian Premier League 2025 season when the teenager scored 252 runs in only seven appearances, including a century and a half-century.
Many experts expected pressure and expectations to affect his second IPL season, but the youngster responded with even stronger performances in 2026.
His fearless stroke play and aggressive approach against experienced bowlers have drawn praise from former cricketers and selectors alike.
The India A call-up is now being viewed as an important step in his development towards senior national selection.
Tilak Varma to captain side
Tilak Varma, who has impressed consistently for Mumbai Indians and India in recent seasons, has been entrusted with leading the India A side for the upcoming assignment.
The squad also features several promising IPL performers including Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge and Anshul Kamboj.
Cricket analysts believe the series could serve as an important pathway for identifying future players for India’s ODI setup ahead of rebuilding plans following the 2027 ODI World Cup.