Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made history by making his international debut in the second T20I against England at Old Trafford, Manchester on Saturday (July 4)
At just 15 years and 99 days old, the southpaw broke Sachin Tendulkar's long-standing record as the youngest-ever Indian to debut in men’s international cricket.
In his brief stay at the crease, Sooryavanshi showed glimpses of his explosive talent by hitting two sixes before being stumped for 14 runs off 10 balls. He followed it up with a knock of 5-ball 13 in the third T20I at Trent Bridge.
While Sooryavanshi has failed to set the international stage on fire so far, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has backed the young prodigy to be given a longer rope, emphasizing that playing a debut series in English conditions against the likes of Jofra Archer is never easy.
“The way Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has shown his potential, if I were the captain or the coach, I'd be willing to back him even if he failed in 10 matches. Yes, I'm talking about giving him 10 games. Of course, Indian cricket usually doesn't have that kind of patience. People don't wait that long, but I'd be ready to give him those opportunities because of the potential he has shown. I understand that he hasn't had the best start. For any young player, making an India debut is never easy. He didn't get a chance in Ireland, and then he made his debut in England, where facing bowlers like Jofra Archer and others in those conditions is never simple,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
“He's only 15 years old, an immensely talented batter with tremendous potential. It was never going to be easy for him to make his debut under those circumstances. Yes, we all say he's ready, and I do believe he is. But even then, he'll need some time. He'll take a little while to adjust to the conditions, adapt to the level, and learn how to read different match situations. But the talent is extraordinary. That's why the team shouldn't rush to judge him. Keep playing him. All it will take is one innings where he gets going, and the runs will come in a big way. He's the kind of player who can score 60 off 20 balls or 70 or 80 off 25 balls," he added.
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.
Before travelling to UK with the T20I squad, Sooryavanshi represented India A in a tri-nation A series in Sri Lanka. He registered modest scores of 14, 44, 21 and 38 during the round-robin stage, but lit up the final with a knock of 29-ball 94 against Sri Lanka A, including a record 11-ball fifty, paving the way for India A’s title clinching 66-run victory.
The Bihar lad warmed the bench for first three matches on the tour of UK, with the Indian team management sticking with the T20 World Cup-winning opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. However, Samson’s string of low scores paved the way for Sooryavanshi’s selection in the Manchester T20I against England.
