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Mumbai: Teenaged batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s wait for his maiden India cap continued on Sunday when he wasn’t included in the XI for the second T20I against Ireland at Belfast, with India’s team management remaining firm on its decision to play openers Sanju Samson, India’s 2026 T20 World Cup hero, and the explosive Abhishek Sharma, who hit a fifty in the visitors’ stunning 34-run defeat to the hosts in the opening T20I on Friday.India’s decision to keep the 15-year-old wonderboy of world cricket on the bench for now has sparked a debate. Former England off-spin stalwart Graeme Swann feels that left to him, the destructive Bihar and Rajasthan Royals opener, whom termed as “generational talent,” would be making his India debut immediately.“Well, if I were an Indian captain or coach, I would have him in immediately. I’ve said this, I’m a huge fan of Vaibhav. He’s a generational talent and I’d say get him in ASAP. The way he played in the IPL this year, having started last season and doing incredibly well, again, everyone’s heads turning and thinking, who is this kid? I think there was an expectation that his performances would taper, would fall off this season. If anything, he got better and better. And that little mid IPL blip, one or two games where people thought, ‘oh, he’s got a weakness if we bowl very full.’ And they got him out with Yorkers a couple of times. He got a couple of low scores. He immediately adapted and then scored at a terrific rate in the next few knocks. I think he is a sort of once in a generation talent, generational talent that comes around. And I think the sooner that India plays him, the sooner they expose him to international cricket. There is no reason why he cannot be the best player in the world for the next 15 years. I think he’s that good,” Swann said at an interaction on Sunday.Batting vigorously for Sooryavanshi’s inclusion, Swann said that he was doing so while factoring in the logic of “dropping someone who doesn’t necessarily deserve to be dropped,” purely because “Sooryavanshi has outperformed them all in the IPL.”“Of course, I do understand the sensibilities of just picking him, and dropping someone who doesn’t necessarily deserve to be dropped. And that’s where India have a bit of an issue at the minute, because when you look at the first XI, you look at the batting lineup, there’s not really anyone who you’d say, well, they deserve to be dropped on performances. You could argue that, well, Sooryavanshi has outperformed them all in the IPL, which he did. Let’s face it, his stats don’t lie. He hit more sixes than Chris Gayle. He scored more runs at a better rate than anybody. So, I would build an attack, a batting line-up around him. And yes, someone will miss out and it will be tough on them on the back of winning world trophies and everything like that and then potentially missing out. But if you can find a way of getting him in and exposing him, he can hit the best bowlers in the world all over the park and destroy them. We saw that.Swann cited Sooryanshi’s brutal assault on Australian pace great Pat Cummins, who conceded 0-64 in four overs, during his sizzling 29-ball 97 in Eliminator 1 in IPL-2026 at New Chandigarh to buttress his point about the left-handed opener’s exceptional batting skills. “The game that stood out for me was against Pat Cummins. He absolutely destroyed Cummins, who is one of the best bowlers on the planet. You know, he’s had the wool over nearly every batter’s eyes in world cricket and Sooryavanshi actually treated him like a net bowler. It was incredible to watch first hand (as a commentator). So, the hype is real about him and it’s truly deserved.”Swann revealed that there was massive anticipation around Sooryavanshi ahead of the five-match T20I series between India and England, which will kick off on July 1 in Durham.“I go to my golf club in England. And they go, ‘Who is this kid? Have you seen him play?’ That doesn’t happen. People don’t talk about Indian cricket in Wollaton Park Golf Club very often. They moan about English cricket! But when I’m turning up to play a game of golf, and people are saying, who is this kid playing for Rajasthan (Royals)? And who is this kid destroying our Under-19 team (Sooryanshi smashed a match-winning 175 off 80 balls in the 2026 U-19 World Cup final at Harare on Feb 6 this year)? That’s exciting to me,” Swann said.‘Washington is a very good bowler’There have been concerns around the form and utility of off-spinner Washington Sundar, who conceded 0-19 in one over and was out for nine in the first T20I against Ireland and was dropped on Sunday, but Swann, who took 255 wickets in 60 Tests@29.96, gave a thumbs-up to Sundar’s abilities.“Washington is a very good bowler. For the record, I think he could easily be a world-class spinner in all three formats (of the game). I was very impressed with the way he bowled in the Test and (ODI) series against Afghanistan recently. His seam presentation is exceptional, and the way he commands his line and length is really good. He uses his height well. He gets that drift. Spinners who get drift, and get the ball to come down laterally in the air are good, and you can’t really coach that,” Swann said.Swann felt that Sundar was an asset because of his batting ability and backed the tweaker to come good in the upcoming white-ball series in England.“He is an all rounder. So, a lot of the time for India, he’ll save games coming in later on as a batter. And he got that good (match-saving) hundred in a Test in England (in Manchester last year). He’s a very good fielder, we know that. But if you can bat and bowl, you’re a great pick for your skipper and coach at the end of the day. He’s a good cricketer, and will do well in England. In England, bowling spin is all about using the pitch. This white Kookaburra ball really can turn in England. And with a lack of pace, you can be very effective as a spinner, taking the pace off, getting people caught in the deep, trying to get people hitting against the spin. So I’m predicting a good series for Washy,” Swann concluded.(Watch India Tour of England 2026 – England vs. India – 1st T20I on July 1, 2026, from 10:00 PM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada) Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD, Sony MAX).
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