Sooryavanshi recently earned his maiden India call-up on the back of a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign.
Teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi recently earned his maiden call-up to India's T20I squad on the back of a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign.
Playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR), the 15-year-old emerged as the youngest Orange Cap winner and Most Valuable Player, hammering 776 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 237.30 with one hundred, five fifties and a record 72 sixes.
Along the way, Sooryavanshi dominated high-profile bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood among others.
As Sooryavanshi prepares for his maiden series with India’s senior men’s team in UK, former India pacer Sreesanth advised the youngster to shun professional managers and keep off-field distractions at bay.
Sreesanth explicitly told Vaibhav's father, Sanjeev, to protect the wonder kid by handling all business matters himself.
"Vaibhav, if you are watching this, my request to you is to leave these managers aside and focus on yourself. Your father will handle things, and your family members will handle things. Stay away from these professional managers," Sreesanth said in an interview with Ravish Bisht.
Sreesanth then showered praise on the teenager, highlighting his immense dedication. "Man, no matter how little we say about Vaibhav, it won't be enough. No matter how much we praise him, it will still fall short. For all the young kids watching and dreaming of becoming cricketers, he has shown the way. First, we had Sachin Paaji, then Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. But what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has shown at this age is a prime example of commitment and perseverance," he stated.
Sreesanth recalled watching viral throwback videos of Sooryavanshi relentlessly practising his batting drills on a terrace during the COVID-19 pandemic, and emphasized the immense sacrifices made by his family and coaches throughout his journey.
"Even during Corona times, videos of him practising on the terrace were doing the rounds. His father — lots of respect to him. Respect to all his coaches and everyone involved because people always talk about opportunities in cricket.
"But imagine travelling four hours every day without even knowing whether you would get an opportunity, practising relentlessly, returning home and doing it all over again. Playing 750 to 1,000 balls daily, doing drills, working constantly — and then hearing him say he doesn't enjoy taking a rest day.
"I will learn from him. With all due respect to all the legendary cricketers, what this kid has shown is remarkable. Just leave him as he is. A lot of managers will come around now," Sreesanth remarked.