When India lifted the 2011 World Cup, every fan in the country realised that it was the dawn of Sachin Tendulkar’s career as he was playing his last World Cup. A question loomed in everyone’s mind, that ‘who could potentially replace him?’. Little did anyone know, it was someone from the 2011 champion team only- The King, Virat Kohli. Kohli flawlessly filled the void and eventually became a ‘GOAT’. He perfectly filled in the shoes of his idol, and became the best batsman and great leader of that generation. Now after a decade and a half, with Kohli being at the dawn of his career, a question still looms in the head of every spectator, ‘who will replace King Kohli?’. Well, some might think it is Shubman Gill, as he is already leading India from the front in two formats. But another person, who has already shown his colours at the big stage, who makes batting look like a video game, is ready to become the next big thing- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is the youngest player to represent India in international cricket. At 15, he is already smashing bowlers double his age and is leaving everyone in awe of his talent! At such a young age, he has already shattered records and even won the Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in 2025. Not only that, the prime minister of the country- Shri Narendra Modi himself met the young prodigy to acknowledge his craft. He is truly a star in making, ready to rule the cricketing world, not just for a few years, but for a few
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s early life and domestic cricket
Sooryavanshi was born on March 27, 2011 (presently 15 years old) and started playing cricket when he was 4. His father was a cricketer himself but he himself couldn’t pursue dreams and hence that is where young Vaibhav got the cricket fever from. They both worked hard relentlessly for years, travelling 100kms for practice sessions and even by paying net bowlers, so that young Sooryavanshi could fine tune his skills. His father had set a pitch at the backyard, so that their practice wasn’t compromised at any cost.
With so much talent and hard work, Vaibhav soon became a household name in Bihar as he used to play a lot of tournaments and smash runs there. He was gaining popularity for hitting massive sixes at such a young age. His talent and run scoring ability did not go unnoticed and soon, he was selected in the Bihar state team. He made his First class debut in 2024 at 12 years 284 days of age, against Mumbai. Later, in December 2025, during Vijay Hazare Trophy, he became the youngest player to score a List A hundred.
International Career of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
At 15 years, 99 days he made his debut against England and became the youngest player to represent India. Now, his international career is only a few matches old and he has already shattered plenty of records. His first international tour with the senior team was in Ireland but due to team combinations, he wasn’t given a game there. Later, when the team toured to England, he was given a chance. But due to inexperience, he failed to convert the starts as England conditions were difficult for him to adjust. However, the kid has shown signs of great mental toughness, as he is great at adapting to new conditions. Within a span of 10-15 days he bounced back by scoring a fifty against Zimbabwe at Harare. India won the series by 3-0, with him being the player of the tournament. After this clean sweep, the next fixture will begin soon and it will be exciting to see Vaibhav back in business, smashing bowlers like he does, all the time.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s playing style
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has a very raw technique. He is not the most technical sound batsman you’ll see, but he is surely the most powerful one. The bat swing, the power, the courage makes him a lethal player. Moreover, he has a good cricket acumen. Recently, in an interview, Ravichandran Ashwin, revealed how Vaibhav has the smartness to mould his technique in a short span of time. Players tend to take months, sometimes years to alter their technique, but Vaibhav had done that in a span of two months, displaying his insane adaptability. Hence, it’s not like he just slogs the ball. He is a very thoughtful player, who deeply analyzes his game and changes the game as per situations demands. He truly is a special talent, one handcrafted by god with utmost perfection.
Journey in Under 19 World Cup
By the time Vaibhav was picked in the Under 19 squad, the world had already seen a glimpse of his talent in the 2025 IPL. Hence, a lot of responsibility lied on his shoulder for the team to turn victorious. The tournament started on a lighter note with decent contributions from his bat. But, who knew that god had reserved his best innings for the finals. Playing against England, he scored 175 off 80 balls, at an insane strike rate of 218.75. It wasn’t his aggressive batting that impressed the most, but the class and sheer dominance with which he was clearing the fence. Once hit from his bat, the ball was landing 20-30m beyond the boundary rope. Obviously, the young English men were perplexed, they were not able to process what Vaibhav was doing with so little effort. It was his day and he made sure that he made the most of it. He has imbibed his name in the history books forever! Talk about the 2026 Under 19 World Cup, his name would pop up!
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in IPL
After a tremendous under 19 World Cup stint, the attention was shifted on IPL 2026, Suryavanshi’s second season. In 2025 he was picked by Rajasthan Royals for INR 1.10 Crores and got a few games too. He smashed a six on the very first ball he faced in the tournament and also managed to score a hundred. But, at that time, everyone thought that it was a fluke and Sooryavanshi needs to work hard to sustain at this level. But, the story changed in 2026, when he broke records like a piece of cake. His achievements of the season included:
- Orange cap holder with 776 runs in 16 matches
- Most sixes in a single edition, that is 72. Breaking Chris Gayle’s record of 59
- Most runs by an uncapped player
- Youngest T20 centurion
- Fastest to score 1000 runs in T20
- Emerging player of the season
- Super striker for highest strike rate
Apart from his individual brilliance, what looked most impressive was how he was solely carrying the franchise’s burden on his shoulders. The team has senior players like Ravindra Jadeja, Riyan Parag etc. but they all played the role of second fiddle as all the limelight was stolen by this youngster. By breaking so many records, and by leading the team from the front, the ‘Boss baby’ was also seen having a chat with King Kohli. The latter was guiding him, appreciating his achievements and in a way passing the baton too. Hence, it was a dream season for him. Even though RCB won the title, it was Vaibhav who stole the hearts.
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