Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his India debut in T20Is against England at the age of 15 years.
Sooryavanshi gained fame for hitting his first ball in the IPL for a six and becoming the youngest to hit a century in IPL and T20 cricket in IPL 2025.
He then went one step further in IPL 2026, hitting 72 sixes and scoring 776 runs with one century and five fifties. He also made 175 runs in the final of the ICC U19 World Cup 2025 to help India win the title.
After a tough India debut against England, Sooryavanshi won Player of the Series against Zimbabwe. He remained benched against Afghanistan as Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma played ahead of him.
Meanwhile, as he excels in T20 cricket, several former cricketers and experts are debating his potential future in Test cricket.
In a recent podcast with Michael Clarke, former England spinner Monty Panesar claimed that Sooryavanshi wouldn't be able to crack the code in Test matches because he lacks the "right technique."
“I can’t see Sooryavanshi transitioning to Test cricket. Harry Brook is the only one right now who’s in the top 10 in Tests and T20Is. But I just don’t think Sooryavanshi has got the technique," Panesar said on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast with Michael Clarke.
However, Clarke quickly put forth a counterpoint and stated that there will always be a case of players representing their teams in all three formats, provided they have the skill and talent. He gave the names of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, who excelled across formats in international cricket.
“I think you can still play all three formats. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers showed that. These guys were brilliant Test cricketers and unbelievable T20 cricketers as well. If a player from this generation, like Sooryavanshi, can make the transition into Test cricket, it is going to be unreal to watch," said Clarke.
Speaking further about the teen sensation, Clarke has mentioned that currently, his greatest strength lies in his power. However, with time he would learn how to cope and adjust to the circumstances.
“Right now, power is still his main thing, and he has an amazing eye. He picks the ball as well as any young cricketer in the world. The technique will get better the more he tours with India and trains in different conditions. He’s talented enough that, if he wants to do it, I can’t see any reason why he can’t be a superstar in all three formats,” Clarke added.
Sooryavanshi will expect some game time as India will participate in the Asian Games 2026 and then the five-T20I series against the West Indies at home.