If one tries to look up ‘fearless cricket’ in the dictionary, it is likely that the page will feature a picture of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. As a 15-year-old, the Rajasthan Royals batter has redefined not only batting but the very attitude that young talents around the world will look to replicate. From Mohammed Shami and Josh Hazlewood to Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins, these are names enough to strike fear into the hearts of even veteran batters. However, call it the ‘naivety of youth’ or ‘confidence in his skills’, Sooryavanshi remains unfazed even in the face of tremendous pressure. This was the first time that Sooryavanshi featured in a Playoffs game when Rajasthan Royals faced Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator on Wednesday, but his breathtaking 29-ball 97 proved once again why he is the ‘Universe Baby Boss’.
A season to remember
Even before IPL 2026 started, the chatter over Sooryavanshi was growing by the minute. As a 13-year-old, he was picked by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1 crore. While tales of his talent were interesting enough for the fans, the six off Shardul Thakur in his debut IPL game made everyone take notice. The U-19 World Cup followed and, despite a rocky start, the youngster impressed once again with a monumental 175 off just 80 deliveries to clinch the title for India, leaving England with absolutely no chance. As a result, the hype was real, and so was the pressure on his shoulders.
However, after a four and a six off the first two balls he faced against Matt Henry, the spectators were put on high alert. A storm warning was issued in the first over of his campaign, and since then, it has been raining sixes constantly – no matter the venue or the opposition.With 680 runs in 15 matches, he has been a star performer in the league.
Although Virat Kohli and Sai Sudharsan can never be ruled out, it is not a far-fetched idea to consider him a favorite to claim the Orange Cap. Such has been his prowess that he is almost done breaking ‘youngest ever’ records and has graduated to claiming ‘best ever’ milestones.
Not on the fast track?
While the clamour grows for him to make his senior international debut, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar was surprisingly coy when asked about the topic. While naming the squad for the Test and ODI series against Afghanistan, he said that there are other talents ahead of Sooryavanshi in line for a call-up, explicitly mentioning Yashasvi Jaiswal.
He also pointed to the fact that the prodigy was recently picked for the India A squad for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka.
“We picked him for the India A team because he is young and immensely promising. The idea is to give these youngsters exposure. Yashasvi Jaiswal is already part of the ODI set-up as well. As impressive as Sooryavanshi has been, there are others who have performed strongly too. We are very excited about him and hopefully he can showcase his talent when he travels with the A team.”
What more can the 15-year-old do?
A season like the one Sooryavanshi is having right now is generally more than enough for a player to earn a national team call-up. In the case of Sooryavanshi, it seems the BCCI may decide to proceed with caution. At the end of the day, we are talking about a 15-year-old, and the selectors may not want to expose him to the highest tier of international cricket so early in his career.
However, when it comes to the player himself, he has certainly done everything in his power. Brilliant knocks, an impressive temperament, and his latest blitz against SRH have proven beyond a doubt that he can perform on the grandest stage with all eyes on him.
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