Teenage sensationVaibhav Sooryavanshi has been named in the 15-member India A cricket squad for the ACC Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 19 to 29.
India A will be captained by Tilak Varma, with Rajat Patidar named his deputy.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rajasthan Royals’ leading scorer and the Orange Cap winner in IPL 2026, has enjoyed a breakout year on the international stage with the senior team.
The 15-year-old made his T20I debut against England in July, becoming the youngest Indian to play international cricket and breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.
The teenager subsequently finished as the leading run-scorer in India’s three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, helping the team complete a 3-0 away sweep.
His performances included two fifties, with a 50 off just 19 balls in the opening match making him the youngest player to score a fifty in men’s international cricket.
The left-hander also struck 81 off 49 balls in the final match and was the Player of the Series.
He was then part of the Indian team that successfully defended its title at the Asian Games 2026, becoming the youngest player from the nation to win a gold medal at the continental showpiece.
The teenager most recently donned national colours in the third T20I of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, where he created more history with opening partner Abhishek Sharma, who is also a part of India’s ACC Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup squad.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma launched a breathtaking assault at the top of the order during India’s series-clinching victory over New Zealand in the third match.
The teenage prodigy smashed 45 off just 19 balls as the opening pair powered India to 118/0 in the powerplay, setting a new record for the highest powerplay score in men’s T20I cricket.
They also helped India register the fastest team fifty by a full-member nation in the format, reaching the milestone in just 2.2 overs.
The Men in Blue’s explosive start continued as the team reached 100 in just five overs, setting a new record for the fastest team hundred in men’s T20 cricket.
India A have been placed in Group B alongside Pakistan A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the ACC Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup.
Group A comprises Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for November 26 and 27, with the final set to take place on November 29.
India A squad for ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026
India A cricket team: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Tilak Varma (captain), Rajat Patidar (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan.
