NEW DELHI: “Chase your dreams, they come true.”Sachin Tendulkar’s famous words perfectly captured the moment 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stood with a smile on his face after receiving his first India cap from Tilak Varma just before the second T20I against England at the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester. For a boy from the small village of Tajpur in Bihar’s Samastipur district, it was a reward for years of sacrifice, hard work and outstanding performance.On Saturday, Sooryavanshi became the youngest player ever to represent India, breaking the long-standing record of Sachin Tendulkar, who made his international debut at 16 years and 205 days.
The journey that started at 12
Sooryavanshi’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable.He first came into limelight in January 2024 when he made his first-class debut for Bihar at the age of just 12. He became one of the youngest players to ever play in the Ranji Trophy.Later that year, he represented India in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup and scored 176 runs in five matches at an average of 44.His biggest breakthrough came soon after when he smashed a 58-ball century against Australia in the Chennai Youth Test. That innings heralded him as one of India’s brightest young talents.
The youngest IPL signee
The performances did not go unnoticed.At just 13 years old, Rajasthan Royals signed Sooryavanshi for Rs 1.10 crore in the IPL auction, making him the youngest player in the history of the tournament to get an IPL contract.When he finally made his debut against Lucknow Super Giants at the age of 14 years and 23 days, he showed no signs of nervousness. His first ball in the league was gone for a six by Shardul Thakur.Nine days later, he rewrote the record books by smashing a stunning 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans to become the youngest centurion in IPL history. The knock was just five balls slower than Chris Gayle’s record fastest IPL hundred.
The IPL season that changed everything
After scoring 252 runs in his debut IPL season 2025, Sooryavanshi came back even stronger in IPL 2026 where he scored 776 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of over 230. He also hit 72 sixes, breaking Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a single IPL season.His incredible campaign helped Rajasthan Royals reach the playoffs and earned him the three biggest individual accolades – the Orange Cap, the Most Valuable Player Award and the Emerging Player Award. He became the first player in IPL history to win all three in the same season.
Success in India A and Under-19 cricket
The IPL heroics earned Sooryavanshi a place in the India A squad for the three series.He scored 211 runs in five matches at an average of 42.20 and a remarkable strike rate of 200.95. In the final, he smashed 94 off just 29 balls and helped India lift the trophy with a convincing 66-run victory.Even before his record-breaking IPL season, Sooryavanshi had already proven himself on the international stage.In February, he starred in India’s title triumph over England in the final of the ICC Under-19 World Cup. His explosive 175 off just 80 balls took India to a 100-run victory. He was also named player of the series.
Father’s dream
Behind every milestone in Sooryavanshi’s career is the unwavering support of his father Sanjeev Sooryavanshi.Born on March 27, 2011 – the same year India won the ODI World Cup under MS Dhoni – Vaibhav showed signs of his talent at a very young age.When he was just four years old, Sanjeev noticed the power with which his son hit a plastic ball. After returning from work in the fields, he would spend hours bowling under Vaibhav’s armpit and helping him exercise.He soon built a small training ground behind their house so that his son could train every day.Recognizing Vaibhav’s passion, Sanjeev took him to train Brajesh Jha in Samastipur. Later, father and son began traveling regularly to Patna, where coach Manish Ojha played a key role in shaping the young man’s game.The 90-kilometer journey from Samastipur to Patna was demanding, but Sanjeev never let that become an excuse. He bought a car and drove his son to the academy every other day so that the training would never stop.Be it the Heman Trophy, the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, the Challengers Trophy, the ACC Asia Under-19 Cup, the IPL or the Under-19 World Cup, Sooryavanshi has consistently overcome one hurdle after another.He passed the biggest milestone in his career on Saturday in Manchester. A boy who once trained in his backyard has finally walked onto the pitch in an India jersey – turning a childhood dream into reality.
