Indian cricket talent pool getting bigger & younger

Bengaluru: In this season of the Indian Premier League, Rajasthan Royals made headlines by giving a debut to 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Opening the innings alongside one of India’s brightest young batting stars, Yashasvi Jaiswal, the teenager showcased an extraordinary level of skill and composure.

At 23, Jaiswal is already a veteran in comparison, having played 19 Tests for India — Virat Kohli made his own Test debut when he was approaching 23. As Suryavanshi tore into the Gujarat Titans’ attack with a stunning 38-ball 101, Jaiswal’s own 40-ball 70 seemed pedestrian in contrast. This example serves as a bright illustration of how scarily youthful and fiercely competitive the Indian batting scene is becoming.

Suryavanshi’s story is not an isolated one. Indian cricket is experiencing a wave of young talent sweeping through the ranks, especially in the batting department. Take Mumbai’s Ayush Mhatre, just 17 years old, who made an immediate impact after replacing the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad in Chennai Super Kings’ line-up, providing much-needed stability to their struggling batting unit.

Madhya Pradesh’s Aniket Verma, 21, emerged as a fearless and dynamic presence for Sunrisers Hyderabad, brightening an otherwise average campaign. Then there’s Delhi Capitals’ Vipraj Nigam, a 20-year-old all-rounder from Uttar Pradesh, who demonstrated his versatility and maturity with the bat and ball. Harsh Dubey, a left-arm spinning all-rounder from Vidarbha also playing for SRH, left a mark with his performances toward the backend of the tournament.

This influx of youthful talent doesn’t stop there. Players like Angkrish Raghuvanshi (20) from Mumbai, currently with Kolkata Knight Riders, and Prabhsimran Singh (24) from Punjab Kings, have been around for a while. Delhi Capitals’ Abhishek Porel (23) from Bengal continues to develop into a reliable contributor. And then there are players who have already donned the India jersey and continue to wait for their next call-up: Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Devdutt Padikkal — all aged between 22 and 24— are examples of individuals who have tasted international cricket but remain in the thick of fierce competition for a permanent spot.

What makes the situation more intriguing is that the Indian team has already seen a generational shift, with long-time stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepping away from Test and T20 formats. Notably, players such as Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, Mayank Agarwal, Ishan Kishan, and Sanju Samson haven’t even been factored into the conversation yet, though they remain very much in contention.

The abundance of talent brings undeniable benefits, but it also poses significant challenges. Selecting the right players at the right time is a complex puzzle. This difficulty is evident in the case of Sarfaraz Khan. Despite scoring one big hundred and three fifties, he couldn’t find a spot in the 18-member Test squad for England’s tour. His exclusion illustrates how difficult it has become to accommodate every deserving performer.

While red-ball cricket still demands technical excellence and maturity that go beyond sheer talent, limited-overs cricket, especially T20, adds layers of complexity for the selectors. For example, Rishabh Pant, despite his flair and impact, isn’t the first choice as an ODI wicketkeeper, while KL Rahul, another proven performer, finds no place in India’s T20I plans. This environment becomes even more unforgiving when one considers the rapidly reducing age thresholds in team-building plans.

With the Indian cricket system becoming increasingly structured, professional, and ambitious, such tough calls are inevitable. Choosing 15 to 18 players from a talent pool of millions will inevitably leave some worthy contenders on the sidelines. And as the IPL continues to expand and more players make compelling cases through their performances, the selection matrix will only grow more intricate.

The IPL, with its high stakes and intense competition, has become a valid platform for assessing white-ball credentials. But when it comes to selecting players for Test cricket, can selectors afford to be influenced by IPL form

Former chairman of selectors MSK Prasad has his reservations. According to him, the line between IPL and domestic first-class performance is getting alarmingly blurred. “I will give you the best example,” says the former India stumper. “See, Ricky Bhui got 1000 (902) runs last year (it was in 2023–24 season). He is the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy but he didn’t get a look-in for India A because the performances of IPL and white-ball cricket are really overshadowing the performances in Ranji Trophy. This is where the biggest challenge is and selectors need to have that clarity.

“I know that you had someone like (Jasprit) Bumrah or Hardik Pandya whom we identified from T20 to ODI to Test cricket. But the transition has to happen from white-ball cricket to red-ball cricket.”

Prasad does, however, acknowledge that IPL performances can support red-ball selection if they complement a strong domestic record. He offers Sai Sudharsan as a case in point.

“Now, Sai Sudarshan has been picked for red-ball which is a good choice. Because, he has played a couple of Ranji Trophy seasons. He has played a County season. He did well for the Rest of India. He did well in Ranji Trophy, India A. That is the right way to go. I still believe that they have to go through the grind of the domestic season.”

Despite the surge in talent this season, Prasad urges the importance of patience and measured decisions.

“See, undoubtedly, Suryavanshi’s knock was unbelievable,” he reflects. “Because it came against all the international bowlers. So, he really made a mark for himself. So, when our selectors’ panel was there, we never picked players just because of one season’s performance. We have to see how a player goes through the next year, if that consistency is there or not.

“The biggest challenge is the amount of glamour and fame that they build around themselves in one year, we have to see whether or not they can stay focused on the job in the coming years. That’s what Jaiswal did or Shubman Gill did or others have. That’s the reason why the selectors have picked them and they have been doing very consistently.

“One reporter asked me whether Suryavanshi has to play for India now? I said no! Let him get some runs in the Ranji Trophy. If we pick him for India and if he fails, suddenly he will be nowhere. His confidence will be affected and he could be totally lost.”

While someone like Suryavanshi may be groomed with caution, others like Bhui find themselves disheartened by being overlooked despite consistent domestic excellence. Prasad shares that he’s even struggled to motivate Bhui to give domestic cricket another go.

As the Indian cricket considers the possibility of fielding two teams simultaneously on a regular basis for different assignments, Prasad believes the time is ripe for a careful, structured approach. Ultimately, in a landscape as competitive and crowded as India’s, progression to the top boils down to a player’s drive, desire and discipline with a touch of fortune.