Time may have passed since the Under-19 World Cup final at Harare Sports Club, but the reverberations of Vaibhav Suryavanshi's electrifying innings still echo throughout the cricket world. In the final against England, Vaibhav smashed an incredible 175 runs off 80 balls. This was not merely an innings; it was a direct conquest of the record books, with 15 towering sixes and a strike rate that made the high-stakes match seem one-sided.
Fans are left wondering: If Vaibhav can dominate England's top young bowlers and score a century in the IPL, why isn't he in the senior Indian team? The simple answer lies in the ICC's age restrictions.
Why can't he play for the senior team?
The biggest barrier for Vaibhav Suryavanshi is the ICC's minimum age rule. Enforced in 2020, this rule mandates that international cricketers must be at least 15 years old to ensure their physical and mental well-being.
Read Also: Why ICC didn’t award prize money to U-19 World Cup champion Team India... What did Vaibhav Suryavanshi receive?
Vaibhav, born on March 27, 2011, was technically still 14 when he helped clinch the Under-19 World Cup in February 2026.
This means that despite hitting a century in 36 balls for Bihar or dismantling bowlers for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, his selection for the senior team is not possible before March 27, 2026.
Interestingly, while Vaibhav is too young for the senior team, he can no longer play for the Under-19 team either.
BCCI maintains a strict policy that a player can participate in the Under-19 World Cup only once. This ensures every tournament allows new talent and prevents any player from becoming an age-group “specialist.”
Having been the Player of the Tournament in the 2026 Under-19 World Cup, Vaibhav cannot compete in the 2028 or 2030 U19 World Cup, even if he remains eligible by age.
Read Also: Vaibhav Suryavanshi showed England the art of batting in the U-19 final at 14, setting explosive records
In the past 12 months, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has built a legacy through records like:
* 175 runs off 80 balls in the Under-19 World Cup final. * Set a new tournament record of 30 sixes in the 2026 World Cup. * At 14 years and 272 days, the youngest player to score a List-A century. * Scored 150 off 59 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, surpassing AB de Villiers’ record. * Managed an IPL century off 35 balls, becoming the youngest IPL century-maker. * The first player to hit a T20 century for India-A. * Scored a century off 52 balls against England U19, the fastest in Youth ODIs. * Claimed the fastest youth Test century for India, off just 58 balls. * Remained unbeaten with 108 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy—the youngest century in the competition.
