New Delhi: Moments before his 29-ball 97 in the IPL 2026 eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, 15-year-old batting sensation Vibhu Suryavanshi was seen touching the legendary. Sunil GavaskarAfter receiving blessings from the foot batting icon, Suryavanshi did what he is now known for – brutal hitting.His blistering knock helped Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the eliminator. Rajasthan Royals, who won their first and only IPL title in 2008, will now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 at Milanpur.During an interview with India Today, Gavaskar recalled the moment Suryavanshi approached him before the match and revealed what he had told the youngster.“I will say to him what I said to him yesterday when he came just before the match, and we were putting on a show at the ground. When he came and he touched my feet and I, and I just told him, ‘Hold on daughter, hang on,’ and that’s exactly what I would say if I was batting with him at the other end,” Gavaskar said.Suryavanshi’s brilliant blitz also took him past Chris Gayle’s 12-year-old record of 59 sixes in a single IPL season. With 65 sixes already this season, Suryavanshi’s battle against the Gujarat Titans bowlers promises to be a mouth-watering encounter when the two sides clash in Qualifier 2 in New Chandigarh on Friday.Gavaskar also believes that the 15-year-old is ready to join the Indian senior team soon.“2026 will be remembered as the year of Vibhu Suryavanshi. He (Suryavanshi) is ready to play T20 international cricket,” Gavaskar said on YouTube show Sports Talk.“He will be picked for the T20I series away from England. I mean he deserves to be picked after this brilliant show. If you’re not going to give him a chance after this performance, when are you going to give him a chance?”The former India captain insisted that age should not be a factor given the fearless manner in which Suryavanshi has dominated the bowlers this season.“Don’t go by his age. He is hitting bowlers who are older than him. In fact, at 15, he is hitting bowlers with 15 years of international experience. Just look at his fearless style,” Gavaskar said.Former India batsman Akash Chopra also praised Suryavanshi and called him a ‘special’ talent. However, Chopra added that one can wait for the youngster’s debut in India as he is only 15 years old.“We are still two years away from the next World Cup. We have plenty of time. Yes, picking Vibhu Suryavanshi for India based on his IPL form is an interesting thought. You cannot ignore it because IPL is the top T20 tournament in India. He is breaking records left and right. You have to take it seriously. He is special, no doubt about it.“But you don’t make changes just for the sake of it. It’s easy. To drop someone, they have to fail. If someone is already a topper in the team, why would you replace them just because someone else scored big runs? Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are the toppers right now.” You don’t replace them. If you do that, then in two or three years when Vaibhav gets a lean patch, the same thing will happen.“The next young batsman will be stepped up. So the selectors, Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha will face pressure. But they have to do what is best for Indian cricket. They will take the right decision. His India debut doesn’t have to be tomorrow. It can wait. He is only 15. There is no rush,” Chopra said on Star Sports.
