Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has taken the cricketing world by storm with his record-breaking exploits this year. The young prodigy helped India clinch the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 title, delivering impactful performances in the semifinal and final to earn the Player-of-the-Tournament award.
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.
Recently, India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel expressed his admiration for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, noting how the teenager's aggressive hitting during the Powerplay eases pressure on his batting partners.
Jurel also stated that comparing himself to a talent like Sooryavanshi is impossible because the youngster operates on a completely different level.
“He deserves all the praise. What he does is something you can’t even dream of. A 15-year-old kid smashing everybody. It’s just WOW. Honestly, there’s no jealousy. There’s no comparison either. What is there to compare? It’s beyond comprehension. Comparisons happen when you think you can do something similar. He is too good. An unbelievable kid. We watch in awe, and he makes life easier for us as batters. In the Powerplay, he keeps smashing, and watching him, you feel that if we get a chance, we should also start hitting, because he just keeps smashing,” Jurel told Aakash Chopra on the former India opener’s podcast.
While Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has impressed one and all with his white-ball prowess, he is still finding his feet in the red-ball format. The southpaw averages only 23.47 in first-class cricket after 11 matches.
However, India’s think tank is grooming him in red-ball cricket. Sooryavanshi recently played a key role in East Zone’s Duleep Trophy triumph, returning with scores of 8, 6, 92, 40, 44 and 8.
Sooryavanshi will next be in action at the Asian Games 2026 for India. The defending champions will begin their campaign against Afghanistan in the quarterfinal stage on September 28 at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin.
