BCCI grooms Vaibhav Suryavanshi in special programme to fill looming vacuum amid Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma exit buzz

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been a busy kid all summer. Since bursting onto the scene with his spectacular IPL performance earlier this year, the 14-year-old has carried his sublime form across formats during India's recent U-19 tour of England. Upon returning home, he attended a special training session with the Rajasthan Royals before receiving a call from the BCCI, which led him straight to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru on August 10. BCCI has begun grooming Vaibhav Suryavanshi to fill looming void in senior team(Action Images via Reuters)
According to a MyKhel report, Vaibhav will undergo a special training program designed by the BCCI, focusing on both technical drills and match-specific scenarios. His childhood coach, Manish Ojha, explained that the BCCI is already preparing the youngster to fill the void left by retiring senior cricketers and that this training goes beyond just the upcoming Australia challenge.
"BCCI is looking ahead. The senior players are gradually retiring, and to fill that vacuum, the next batch of youngsters must be fully ready. This training for Vaibhav is part of that process. We pick boys one by one and prepare them accordingly for the demands of international cricket," he said.
This development around Vaibhav comes amid ongoing speculation about the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. While a Dainik Jagran report hinted that the upcoming Australia tour could mark their final international appearances—with their ODI careers and chances in the 2027 World Cup hinging on their domestic form—a BCCI official told PTI that the board is currently focused on the Asia Cup and preparations for next year's T20 World Cup and would never make such a significant decision hastily.
Vaibhav's Bengaluru stint is expected to last only a week before he rejoins the India U-19 camp for the next assignment. Ojha added that the batter's next goal is to bring consistency to his scores in longer formats.
'He has the ability to attack from the very first ball, which is a huge positive in T20s and one-dayers. You've seen it in the IPL, U-19, and Vijay Hazare Trophy. But in longer formats, his performance level drops compared to white-ball cricket. The aim is to raise that consistency—if he plays 10 innings, 7-8 should be impactful,' he said.