Sooryavanshi has taken the cricketing world by storm with his stunning exploits in T20 cricket.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become the toast of the nation for his record-breaking exploits this year. The teenage sensation earned the Player-of-the-Tournament award at the start of the year, helping India clinch their record-extending sixth ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup title.
Sooryavanshi carried his stunning form into the IPL 2026. Playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR), he won the Orange Cap and was named the Most Valuable Player for scoring 776 runs in 16 innings at a staggering strike rate of 237.30, including one hundred, five half-centuries and a record 72 sixes in an IPL season.
As a result, the 15-year-old earned his maiden call-up to the senior Indian men's cricket team. While Sooryavanshi failed to make a mark (42 runs in three innings) in his debut T20I series against England, he delivered Player-of-the-Series performance (151 runs in three innings) in the subsequent tour of Zimbabwe.
While the young prodigy has taken the cricketing world by storm with his white-ball prowess, he is yet to leave a mark in the red-ball format. Sooryavanshi averages only 23.47 in first-class cricket after 11 matches.
However, India’s think tank is grooming him in red-ball cricket. He recently played a key role in East Zone’s Duleep Trophy triumph, returning with scores of 8, 6, 92, 40, 44 and 8.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan legend Arjuna Ranatunga has encouraged the teenager to prioritize the technique and commitment required for Test cricket, advising him to emulate legends like Virat Kohli.
“My only advice is this boy should work on his technique properly, and if you play Test cricket, you will be recognised in a big way rather than in T20,” Ranatunga told Hindustan Times.
“The way Virat played all three formats, when you work on the technique, you can play all versions, I hope this kid will work on them. I hope he will sacrifice and focus on playing for India rather than the franchise money,” he added.
Considering his below-par numbers in first-class cricket, critics have raised doubts regarding Sooryavanshi’s Test aspirations.
However, former India captain and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar backed the Bihar lad to excel across formats.
“I don’t understand why they make such an issue of white and red ball? He is playing so brilliantly in white ball, why can’t he play red-ball cricket, or pink-ball cricket for that matter? It is a matter of how you adjust, he is an excellent player with excellent skills also. I am sure he will do it. He is playing at the top level all the time so he is bound to keep improving,” Vengsarkar quoted as saying by the same publication.
Former India batter and Mumbai Ranji coach Pravin Amre considers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a "special talent" and draws a parallel to former legendary Indian opener Virender Sehwag. He noted that just like people initially doubted Sehwag's aggressive approach in red-ball cricket, maturity could eventually help Sooryavanshi replicate similar historic feats—such as Sehwag's Test triple centuries.
Amre emphasized that the youngster should solely focus on playing 100 balls. Given Sooryavanshi's ultra-aggressive scoring rate, surviving 100 deliveries in a multi-day match could easily convert into a century or even a double century.
“He shouldn’t change his game, he has to play the way he plays. He is a special talent, with maturity he can be like Virender Sehwag. When he started, people doubted Sehwag, he is the one who got a triple century in Test matches,” said Amre, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
“He has to focus on playing 100 balls, (and) not think about runs. We played in an era when we had to play 300 balls to get a hundred. We worked with Shreyas Iyer to play 150 balls to get a hundred. Sooryavanshi has to think of playing 100 balls, he can get a hundred, even a double hundred. Playing 100 balls is important,” he remarked.