Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's smile mirrors the weight of his first India jersey moment | WATCH
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi receives his POTM award after the SL A vs IND A tri-series final (Source: BCCI)
Published - 23 Jun 2026, 09:33 AM• Read time - 2 mins
With just a few days to go before what could be Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India debut, anticipation is building among fans eager to see how the teenager’s first outing in national colours will unfold.
Sooryavanshi has been named in India’s squad for the UK tour, which features a two‑match T20I series against Ireland followed by five T20Is against England. Ahead of the opener against Ireland on June 26, the youngster received his first India jersey from Team India’s throwdown specialist Raghavendra, affectionately known as Raghu. The moment left him overwhelmed with emotion.
"I mean, I can't put it into words," said a visibly emotional Sooryavanshi. "The reason I picked up a bat and went to a cricket ground for practice today that dream was realised. The biggest step in that journey was completed today, and I truly can't put this feeling into words. [On holding his first India jersey] It felt like a dream. I was elated after seeing that T-shirt and couldn't stop smiling. Sometimes, something happens, that you never imagine could happen, and when it finally unfolds, you don't know how to react. That's exactly how I felt."
Ladies & Gentlemen
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 23, 2026
The moment the nation has been waiting for has arrived!
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in #TeamIndia jersey. Witness this incredibly special moment ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sUUytFMPVw
Ajit Agarkar on Sooryavanshi’s selection
Earlier, chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained how Sooryavanshi’s performances left the panel with little choice but to include him in the squad.
"I think he just has picked himself really," Agarkar said on the day of the announcement of the India squads for the UK tour and the Asian Games. "With his performances, he has almost forced us to pick him with how well he has played. For a young kid… I don't need to talk about how well he is playing. And it's not just this season. He obviously had a great start [to his IPL career] last season.
"And to back it up for a young kid in a competition that's as competitive and has a high-pressure environment, and how explosive he can be and a game-changer that he can be. Like everyone else that has watched T20 cricket in India, we have got high hopes of him."
For Sooryavanshi, the jersey presentation was the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of a new chapter. With the spotlight firmly on him, his debut promises to be one of the most eagerly watched moments of India’s tour.
