'Abhishek Sharma should play Test cricket' - Suresh Raina questions focus on red-ball format

Raina Makes Bold Call: Abhishek Sharma Belongs in India's Test XI

Suresh Raina isn't mincing words. On the Aakash Chopra show, he threw his hat into the ring, arguing that Abhishek Sharma should be locking in the Test opening slot right now—and raising a sharper question about whether the IPL machine is quietly sacrificing our red-ball future.

The Core Argument

Raina's point cuts deep. He's questioning whether IPL owners and state associations are feeding Test cricket into young players' minds, or whether coaches are pushing the white-ball hustle instead. His message: player and coaching staff need to be aligned on the same page before we ship teenagers into the 5-day format.

The Data on Abhishek Sharma

Let's look at the numbers, because they matter. Across 24 first-class matches (37 innings), Sharma's stacked 1,071 runs at 30.60 avg, 70.46 SR—1 ton, 5 fifties. With the ball, he's grabbed 20 wickets, best figures of 4/136. Not a flamethrower, but a genuine all-round contribution at the bottom-mid order. The profile fits.

The Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Debate

Then there's the 15-year-old phenom. Raina's right to raise the age question—10 FC matches, 347 runs at 23.13 avg, 96.38 SR, top score 93. Recent Duleep Trophy cameo (92 & 40 for East Zone) is eye-catching, and his U19 Test numbers (331 runs, 136 SR) are explosive. But 15? That's a career-timing gamble, not a no-brainer.

My Read

Raina's got a point on structure, but the data tells a nuanced story. Sharma's red-ball average (30.60) is serviceable but not Test-proven at the highest level yet. Sooryavanshi has the raw aggression but is a long way from red-ball readiness at 15. This isn't about who's hot today—it's about who's built to survive five days. Something's got to give in how we develop these guys.

What's your call—back Sharma in the Test XI now, or let Sooryavanshi mature first?

Source: Crictracker