Vaibhav Sooryavanshi touted to become India's permanent T20I member [Source: AFP]Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been out of the T20I playing XI despite stellar performances on the Zimbabwe tour, but former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes it is only a matter of six months before he forces his way back permanently into the T20I side.Sooryavanshi made his India debut in the England T20Is, but he shone against Zimbabwe and helped the Men in Blue win the series.Kaif reckons that within the next six months, the 15-year-old will become India’s first-choice player in the main XI, and that could mean the end of the road for either Tilak Varma or Shivam Dube.Kaif gives warning to Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube as Sooryavanshi knocks on the doorKaif believes Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma will feel the heat, especially with the emergence of Sooryavanshi, who has been on the bench but will make the cut within the next six months."I understand that Tilak is the vice-captain. But vice-captains have also been dropped before. I do not want to go there. Shivam Dube is not scoring in every game and still has to prove himself. Fielding is also his weakness, and he is not a proper bowling all-rounder. He is only playing as a batter. After six months, either Tilak or Dube will be out. You will have to remove one, and Sooryavanshi will play. I am saying this right now", Kaif said on his YouTube channel.Kaif believes Sooryavanshi's Duleep Trophy performance will help him becomeThe former Indian cricketer pointed towards Sooryavanshi’s performances beyond T20 competition, stating that he matured as a player during his time in the Duleep Trophy 2026.The teenager played a pivotal role with the bat and helped East Zone capture the Duleep Trophy. Moreover, he also chipped in with the ball, adding another dimension to his overall game.Also Read: New Zealand Coach Issues Threat To Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Ahead of IND vs NZ T20Is"Sooryavanshi scored in the Duleep Trophy as well. He has improved his game. He was even bowling there. So he has understood that if he can bowl a few overs, he will have an advantage," he added.The opening batter picked up 2 wickets in the Duleep Trophy and also scored 192 runs in five innings to become one of the MVPs of his team.Logically, will Dube, Tilak be removed if Sooryavanshi cements his place?Sooryavanshi certainly has witnessed a rapid rise, with the 15-year-old having a breakout IPL 2026 season. He was outstanding in IPL 2025, but this year, he took it one notch higher.He slammed 776 runs and finished as the top run-scorer to fetch numerous IPL awards. This led to his India debut, where he couldn’t do much against England, but delivered the goods against the Zimbabwean side.This has led to a conversation that Sooryavanshi should be one of the first names on the Indian T20I team sheet. Now, logically, Kaif might not be totally wrong. Tilak might be the vice-captain of the team, but his performances have been questionable.In 2025, his T20I strike rate was just 129, and in 2026, it touched nearly 143. Moreover, he was demoted from his usual batting position and was deployed more as a finisher. Hence, India can use Sooryavanshi in Tilak's batting position. Dube, on the other hand, has blown hot and cold with the bat.Moreover, with the ball, his economy rate has touched 11.33, which indicates that batters enjoy toying with him. Hence, if Sooryavanshi can get better with the ball, Dube might not get a place in the team.Also Read: Most ODI Wickets For West Indies vs India Till September 2026
