Can Vaibhav Sooryavanshi feature in the ICC Under-19 World Cup again?

With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi making his senior India debut in the second T20I against England aged 15 years and 99 days, it begs the question- Can Sooryavanshi, who will still be eligible to play U-19 tournaments based on his age, feature again in the next ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2028?

What do the ICC guidelines say?

As per ICC guidelines, the only rules pertaining to squad selection are about the player’s age, nationality, and compliance to ICC Codes.

There is no mention about the number of Under-19 World Cups a player can play. For instance, Australia’s captain at the 2026 edition, Oliver Peake, was making his second appearance at the tournament, having also featured in the 2024 edition.

Do BCCI guidelines permit second Under-19 World Cups?

The BCCI does not permit a second Under-19 World Cup appearance, even if age criteria permits them to. This was a change instated by former Under-19 head coach Rahul Dravid in 2016. As Sooryavanshi has played the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup, the board’s restrictions make him ineligible for the 2028 edition.

In the 2026 U-19 World Cup, Sooryavanshi had a record-breaking campaign, in which he scored 439 runs in seven innings with an average of 62.71.

His standout performance came in the final when he hit 175 off 80 balls. This was also the highest individual score in a knockout game in Youth ODIs.

India went on to defeat England by 100 runs, and Sooryavanshi was also named the Player of the Tournament.

Published on Jul 04, 2026