'Not in Test cricket': Sourav Ganguly reveals what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi needs to do for red-ball call-up

KOLKATA: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has worn many hats in cricket and is a keen follower of the game. In an interview to TOI , he says Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is not yet ready for Test cricket but the talented youngster is India’s future. Excerpts...

Auqib Nabi had a good Ranji season but was ignored for the India squad. Prince Yadav was rewarded with a place. Are we ignoring our domestic structure?





Nabi should have been in the squad (for the Afghanistan series). He bowled superbly in the Ranji Trophy. But Prince Yadav is also talented and he’s so quick. I think the selectors have done a wonderful job by giving Prince the opportunity to play, because when you have pace, you don’t keep them in first class. I think both should have got picked.





Do you think the time is right for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to be included in the Indian team?
In T20s, he should be included right away, but not in Test cricket. He has to score more runs in first-class cricket to get a place. But at the moment he’s just too talented. To see a 15-year-old boy bat like this against everyone in the world is phenomenal. He is India’s future.


Rishabh Pant has been lacking consistency. Is captaincy weighing him down?
He’s a very good Test player. His Test match batting is world class. He’s still finding it tough to adapt to T20 cricket. I hope he does because he’s got enormous talent. Captaincy is a burden on everyone. It’s how you handle it. But then you want to be captain, isn’t it? You want to be captain because it’s a huge honour. So you will have to get that balance right. You do it or somebody else will.

When you, Dravid and Tendulkar stepped away from T20s, did you foresee this format becoming so big in 25 years?
No. We learned our cricket in a different era. And why just the three of us? (Ricky) Ponting, (Kumar) Sangakara, Joe Root, Alistair Cook...you name it. It’s a different generation. Things keep changing in life, nothing is static. So players change too and that is the way it’s going to happen. T20 cricket is here to stay and it will continue to produce talent which will just swing through the line and put the ball in the stands.

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