Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has called teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi “God’s gift to Indian cricket” and believes the 15-year-old deserves an immediate call-up for India’s upcoming white-ball tour of England, even if it means leaving out an established top-order batter.Gavaskar was left stunned after Sooryavanshi’s explosive 29-ball 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL Eliminator. The former India captain especially praised the youngster’s fearless batting and the way he smashed a straight six off Australian skipper Pat Cummins.“2026 will be remembered as the Year of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is ready for T20 International cricket,” Gavaskar said on Sports Tak.Backing the teenager for India’s England T20I tour, Gavaskar questioned the logic of delaying his selection after such a remarkable IPL campaign.“If you don’t give him a chance after this performance, then when will you?” he asked.The batting great dismissed concerns about Sooryavanshi’s young age, pointing out how the teenager is dominating experienced international bowlers.“Don’t go by his age. At 15, he is taking apart bowlers with 15 years of international experience. Just look at his fearless approach,” Gavaskar said.However, Gavaskar admitted that fitting Sooryavanshi into the playing XI could create a selection dilemma, with players like Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson competing for top-order spots.“It’s a happy headache. When your biggest problem is deciding whom to drop, it shows the depth of talent in Indian cricket,” he said.Gavaskar suggested Sooryavanshi should at least be included in the squad, even if he does not immediately make the starting XI.“The dressing-room experience alone will be priceless for him,” he added.The cricket icon also highlighted the youngster’s technical brilliance, saying he is far more than just a power-hitter.“When we think of six-hitters, we often think of sloggers. But this kid hits straight sixes over long-on and long-off with perfect technique,” Gavaskar explained.He further praised Sooryavanshi’s ability to handle short-pitched bowling with confidence and clean strokeplay.“Not just me, almost everyone apart from the SRH players were disappointed when he got out on 97 and missed the fastest IPL hundred record,” Gavaskar said. “Sooryavanshi is truly God’s gift to Indian cricket.”Gavaskar also recalled watching Sachin Tendulkar as a 15-year-old but stopped short of comparing the two prodigies directly.“Sachin had every shot in the book and incredible balance. When I first saw him, I thought he too was God’s gift,” Gavaskar said, while noting that modern bats have made six-hitting easier in today’s game.The former India captain also shared an emotional moment with Sooryavanshi before a match, revealing that the youngster touched his feet and also showed respect to former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar.“Our upbringing teaches us to respect elders. He came over and touched our feet. I just told him, ‘Lage Raho’ (Carry on),” Gavaskar said.Asked what he hopes for the young batter’s future, Gavaskar replied with a smile: “I don’t want the kid in him to grow up.”