Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been selected in the India A squad for the upcoming one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka, scheduled to take place after IPL 2026 wraps up on May 31.
The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener’s inclusion marks a massive leap in his development pathway, moving from U-19 cricket to the senior India A setup in under six months.
This selection directly follows the BCCI’s red-ball and white-ball development roadmap announced in April, where the Centre of Excellence under VVS Laxman was tasked with fast-tracking young talent through structured tours.
How Did Sooryavanshi Earn the India A Call-Up?
In IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi has been opening alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal for Rajasthan Royals and has already built on his breakthrough 2025 season. He made IPL history at age 14 by smashing 101 off 38 balls against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025, becoming the youngest centurion in tournament history. His IPL career currently stands at over 250 runs across seven innings at a strike rate exceeding 200.
Before that, he captained India U-19 during the three-match ODI series in South Africa in January 2026 and was part of the squad that competed in the ICC U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia. His 175 in the U-19 World Cup final against England became one of the most talked-about innings in the tournament’s history.
Additionally, Sooryavanshi holds the record for the youngest centurion in men’s List A cricket, scoring 190 off 84 balls for Bihar in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy. That knock also made him the fastest to 150 in men’s List A history, surpassing AB de Villiers.
What Is the India A Sri Lanka Tri-Series About?
The tri-series in Sri Lanka is part of the BCCI’s broader development plan announced in April 2026. After India’s disappointing Test results over the past year, including two home whitewashes, the board outlined a structured talent pipeline focused on grooming the next generation.
The plan involved three key steps. First, a four-team intra-CoE red-ball tournament at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru during June-July, featuring 64 players under 25. Second, India U-19 and India Emerging (U-25) tours to Sri Lanka for multi-format matches. Third, using performances from these events to directly feed into India A and eventually senior squad selections.
BCCI sources had confirmed at the time that “the India Emerging side will comprise only U-25 players and they will also constitute India A teams for shadow tours.” This tri-series is the white-ball component of that plan.
Who Else Could Feature in the India A Squad?
While the full squad details are still emerging, several other young IPL performers are expected to join Sooryavanshi.
Ayush Mhatre (CSK), the former U-19 World Cup captain, is a near-certainty. He has been part of every major BCCI development initiative this year and has delivered consistent performances in the IPL. Sameer Rizvi (DC), who recently claimed the No. 4 spot for Delhi Capitals with consecutive half-centuries, is another strong contender.
Other names from the U-25 high-performance camp shortlisted in April include Angkrish Raghuvanshi (KKR), Priyansh Arya (PBKS), Abhishek Porel (DC), and several domestic performers identified by the junior and senior selection committees.
What Does This Mean for Sooryavanshi’s Senior India Debut?
The trajectory is now clear. From U-19 cricket to IPL to India A in under a year, Sooryavanshi is being fast-tracked through every development tier the BCCI offers.
With India’s packed 2026-27 schedule featuring white-ball series against Afghanistan, Ireland, England, West Indies, and Sri Lanka, plus a massive Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home, squad rotation will create opportunities for younger players. A strong showing in the Sri Lanka tri-series could put Sooryavanshi in the conversation for a senior call-up as early as the West Indies tour later this year.
At 15, he’s already broken records in domestic cricket, the IPL, and U-19 internationals. The India A tri-series is the next box to tick on a journey that seems to have only one destination.
