Former India opener Aakash Chopra has advised the national selectors to remain patient with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi despite the youngster’s sensational IPL 2026 campaign for Rajasthan Royals. Sooryavanshi once again grabbed headlines during the Eliminator clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad after smashing a breathtaking 97 off just 29 deliveries.

The 15-year-old continued his remarkable season by taking his overall tally to 680 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 242.86 and an average of 45.33, firmly establishing himself as one of the biggest breakout stars of IPL 2026. While calls for an immediate India debut continue to grow louder, Chopra believes the selectors should avoid rushing the youngster into the senior national side too early.

“We are still two years away from the next T20 World Cup. There is enough time. What Vaibhav is doing is extraordinary and impossible to ignore because the IPL is India’s biggest T20 platform. If someone is breaking records like this, you have to take notice. He is clearly special,” Aakash Chopra said.

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However, the former India batter stressed that Indian cricket should not disrupt a settled batting unit simply because a new talent has emerged.

“You cannot make changes just for the sake of making changes. Players like Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have also had excellent seasons. If someone is already performing consistently, you cannot replace them overnight just because another youngster is doing well,” he explained.

Chopra also warned against creating a dangerous cycle where established players are constantly replaced whenever a new prospect delivers one strong season.

“If Vaibhav goes through a rough patch two or three years later, will you apply the same logic again? That’s not how team-building works,” he added.

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The cricketer-turned-commentator backed India’s selectors, including Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha, to make a balanced long-term decision regarding the teenager’s future. “He represents the future of Indian cricket, but he is not Indian cricket alone. He has a very long career ahead of him, so there is absolutely no need to rush,” Aakash Chopra concluded.