Does Vaibhav have a passport? Cook's cheeky take on Sooryavanshi's India selection

Former England captain Alastair Cook captured the buzz around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's rapid rise with a touch of humour, asking, "Does he have a passport?" as talk of a possible India call-up for the 15-year-old gathered pace.

The remark came on the Stick to Cricket podcast, where Michael Vaughan, David Lloyd, Phil Tufnell and Alex Hartley discussed Sooryavanshi's performances this season. The Rajasthan Royals batter has been among the leading run-scorers after making headlines with a century on debut last year and briefly holding the Orange Cap in the ongoing campaign.

The conversation soon turned to whether Sooryavanshi should be called up for India's tour of Ireland after the IPL. Vaughan and Tufnell made their positions clear, with Vaughan saying he would go even further.

"Sooryavanshi... 246 runs, average of 41, striking at 236."

"Shouldn't he be at school? You can't leave school," Lloyd said.

"I don't think he's at school, Dave. I reckon he's going to go on that T20 trip to Ireland. Isn't he? I would have him in the squad for the England series this summer," Vaughan replied.

"Why not? Why wouldn't he?" Tufnell added.

Cook then stepped in with the line that summed up the discussion. "Does he have a passport?"

Vaughan went on to argue that age should not become a barrier when the impact is already this obvious. "If he was 20... just because he's 15, you're like 'Oh, we've got to be careful'. Jasprit Bumrah ran in, and he just flicked him into the stands for a six."

Hartley pointed to the confidence that shapes Sooryavanshi's game. "It's almost like these young kids who grow up these days have this lovely arrogance. They don't feel the pressure are like, 'I'll just go and play the game'. And I love it when he just comes in and goes like, 'Alright! Jofra Archer... bang'. See you later. Why would you not pick him?"

Vaughan finished by explained how strong Sooryavanshi has looked even next to an established player. "The new T20 opener is him. Even Jaiswal has been playing great at the other end. But at times, Sooryavanshi has made him look 'just ok'. And he's outstanding."

The numbers match the excitement. Sooryavanshi has scored 246 runs in six matches this season at an average of 41.00 and a strike rate of 236.53. It follows a debut IPL season in which he scored a century, and his run at the U19 World Cup, where he made 175 in the final against England.

With the BCCI considering him for the Ireland tour, Sooryavanshi is now close to a senior India call-up. At 15, he is no longer only a promising name. He is already forcing the conversation.

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