Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had made 175 in U19 World Cup 2026 final, helping India U19 win the title.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 tournament, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) keeper-batter Jitesh Sharma spoke about the teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The Bihar batting sensation, who turns 15 on Friday, returns to the Rajasthan Royals a year after setting the IPL on fire with a swashbuckling 35-ball century.
Sooryavanshi has swept the cricket world in the last year, winning the Under-19 World Cup and blasting hundreds in Australia, South Africa, and England. However, a number of bowlers are thought to have identified his weakness and figured him out, so his real test will start in a few days in IPL 2026.
Sooryavanshi has the potential to be a trailblazer, a maverick, and possibly a future legend. But according to Jitesh Sharma, he might never be a "professional."
The RCB vice-captain, who led Sooryavanshi in the India A Asia Cup last year, revealed that he would gladly spend a million dollars on the young talent.
When AB de Villiers addressed him about Sooryavanshi's successes, Jitesh disagreed with the South African legend, claiming that the youngster may never be entirely professional in his off-field approach.
“Right now, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. I feel he can dominate world cricket. He has gear No. 6 and a very good set of skills,” said Jitesh to AB de Villiers as he appeared on his YouTube channel.
De Villier called himself a fan of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who smashed 175 to demoralize England in the final of the U19 World Cup 2026 and helped India clinch the title. What pleased AB de Villiers the most was how he improved on his IPL 2025 performance and approached each competition with the same zeal.
“He’s a great player. I watched him in the Under-19s. It’s not always easy when you get the taste of the IPL and big cricket and still show the same kind of standard. I was very impressed with the way he played in that World Cup. Very professional. He’s very mature for his age.
I’m talking about the way he played. He still kept to his game plan. He played the same way he played the IPL. Didn’t try to be something else. He wasn’t arrogant against the bowlers. But he will get professional,” said AB de Villiers.
Jitesh shared a different perspective on ABD’s ‘professional’ stance.
“He’s not professional. I can tell you that. Everyone is trying to get him to be professional, but I don’t think he will ever get professional. He may be on the field, but off the field, he won’t. I’m trying my best. I ask him not to have ice cream at night,” Jitesh said.
Sooryavanshi will be in action when RR begins its IPL 2026 against CSK in Guwahati on March 30.