BCCI closely monitoring Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma's six-hitting approach: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is closely monitoring the performances of young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma during India's ongoing T20I series against England, with their aggressive six-hitting approach coming under scrutiny.

According to a BCCI source, while the explosive batting ability of both players has impressed the selectors and team management, there is a view that their attacking approach requires better control and situational awareness.

"The six-hitting ability of Abhishek and Sooryavanshi is great, but it needs to be controlled," a BCCI source said.

India, led by new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, is enduring a difficult start to a new era, trailing 3-0 in the five-match T20I series against England after also losing the preceding two-match series against Ireland.

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became India's youngest-ever international cricketer on his T20I debut, has struggled to make an impact in the series, scoring 14, 13 and 15 in his first three innings.

The teenager earned his maiden India call-up after a sensational IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals, where he amassed 776 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 237.30, finishing as the tournament's leading run-scorer. He also smashed a record 72 sixes and won multiple individual awards, including the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player, Super Striker, and Super Sixes.

Across his IPL career, Sooryavanshi has scored 1,028 runs in 23 matches at an average of 44.69 and a strike rate of 228.95, including two centuries, six fifties, and 96 sixes.

Before the England series, the youngster also impressed in the tri-series featuring Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, scoring 211 runs in five innings at a strike rate of nearly 201, including the fastest List A fifty in just 11 balls.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Sharma has shown flashes of form despite inconsistent returns. He scored 49 and 0 against Ireland before registering 59, 43, 10 and 16 in the England series. While he has been among India's better performers, he is yet to produce a match-winning knock in the series.

With two matches remaining, the Indian team will be looking to avoid a series whitewash and secure its first victory under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy.