Everyone is asking the same question. Seriously — why is this question even coming up?
Just because of what he has done in the last six months? If you only look at the last six months, then yes, it’s fair to say he deserves a chance and should make his debut for India. But what’s the hurry now? He is just 15 years old! Yes, read that again — he is just 15 years old! He has his entire career ahead of him, so why the rush to play him right now?
And suppose he does play — then who gets dropped? Because if he plays, someone has to make way, right? Yes, that’s exactly it. So who?
Sanju Samson — the Player of the Tournament, who scored three World Cup–winning knocks, the very reason Team India defended the World Cup in 2026? Will you drop the match-winner over just one or two bad innings? Abhishek Sharma — the World No. 1 batter for India over the last year, and the leading run-scorer for India in T20Is since then? Ishan Kishan — the comeback man? As I write this, he has become the World No. 1 batter. Remember what he did in 2026 after his comeback — there’s simply no room for Vaibhav in the top three. At No. 4 is India’s captain, Shreyas Iyer, and at No. 5, Tilak Varma, once again a consistent performer.
So where exactly does Vaibhav fit in?
There’s an even bigger factor at play here — a series where everything is on edge: Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy future. Look at how it started — a humiliating defeat against Ireland. Yes, I’m using the word “humiliating,” because losing one game can just be a bad day — anyone who follows the sport would agree. But a whitewash? That’s unacceptable, and simply not good enough for a World Champion team.
This England series won’t just decide Shreyas Iyer’s future — it will decide the future of Indian cricket. If things go wrong and India lose this series too, you’ll see some very bold calls from the BCCI. That’s exactly why the team management and coach Gautam Gambhir are backing their proven match-winners — sticking with the combination that has delivered success in the past.
As for Vaibhav, right now he’s meant to gain experience and learn from the best. If India win the series with a game to spare, there’s a chance he could make his debut then — but before that, I don’t see it happening. The other scenario: if the top order fails once again, the youngster could get his opportunity. Until then, he’ll have to wait.
And before we wrap up — the next time this question crosses your mind, just remember: he is a 15-year-old kid.