Ever since 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi earned his maiden call-up to India’s senior men’s team for the tours of Ireland and England, one piece of advice has echoed across the cricketing fraternity: let him be a teenager, let him enjoy his cricket.
The excitement around the prodigious youngster is understandable. But before he boards a flight to the United Kingdom and takes the next big step in his fledgling career, Sooryavanshi has another assignment on hand — one that could prove just as important in his development.
Starting Tuesday, the teenager will turn out for India A in the Tri-Nation series in Dambulla, where he is expected to get at least four matches, and potentially a final, to fine-tune his game in unfamiliar conditions and against quality opposition.
For all the attention that has followed him since his record-breaking IPL exploits with Rajasthan Royals and his rapid rise through the ranks, Dambulla offers something invaluable: cricket without the noise. A chance to spend time in the middle, learn, adapt and prepare for the sterner challenges that await in England and Ireland.
The conditions in Sri Lanka are expected to test the batters, with the pitches traditionally offering assistance to spin. For a young player still learning the demands of elite cricket, those challenges could be as valuable as any net session.
“India A is always a good opportunity for everyone. Everyone has seen how good a prospect Vaibhav is, and everyone has seen him faring well in the U-19s as well, especially in the one-dayers. We are quite excited to see him in this format,” Tilak Varma, the captain of India A, told reporters on Monday.
“In Sri Lanka, wickets are slower and his batting role will slightly change. But I am pretty confident that he will do well here as well,” Tilak, who has been named the vice-captain of India’s T20I squad, said.
The tournament also comes at a significant time in Sooryavanshi’s journey. The spotlight around him is only growing, but the next few weeks could offer the ideal environment to learn away from the glare that accompanies the senior team.
And perhaps that is exactly what those urging caution have in mind. Not rushing the journey, not burdening him with expectations, but allowing him the space to grow. The India A tour may not attract the spotlight of the senior team’s fixtures, but for Sooryavanshi, it could be the ideal stepping stone before the biggest tour of his young career.
With Ajit Agarkar, chairman of the national selection committee, already in Dambulla to watch the tournament, Sooryavanshi and several others in the squad have plenty to play for over the next fortnight.
For the teenager, every run scored and every challenge overcome will be another step towards proving that he belongs on cricket’s biggest stage.
For Sooryavanshi, the road to England begins in Dambulla.
Published on Jun 08, 2026
