India faced off against arch-rivals Pakistan in the U19 Asia Cup 2026, but one notable absentee from the Indian squad is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Despite being just 15 years old and eligible to feature in the age-group tournament, the batting sensation has not been included in the squad.
Why Is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Not Picked For U19 Asia Cup 2026?
Sooryavanshi's absence from the U19 Asia Cup is linked to the BCCI's eligibility rules for the age-group World Cup. The board allows a player to feature in only one edition of the U19 World Cup, and Sooryavanshi has already represented India in the 2024 tournament.
As a result, the 15-year-old cannot feature in another edition of the U19 World Cup, even though he remains young enough to play age-group cricket. He is therefore being phased out of India's U19 setup and has progressed to the senior pathway, with the selectors considering him for higher-level assignments.
The youngster has already featured for the senior men's team and was part of the squad that won the Asian Games Gold medal.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Named In Rising Stars Asia Cup Squad
While Sooryavanshi will miss the U19 Asia Cup, he has been named in India's 15-member squad for the ACC Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026. The tournament will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 19 to 29, with Tilak Varma appointed captain.
Sooryavanshi will share the dressing room with senior players such as Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Prabhsimran Singh and Harshit Rana. India A have been placed in Group B alongside Pakistan A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates.
India will begin their campaign against Nepal on November 20 before taking on Pakistan A on November 22 and the UAE on November 24. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.
