NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old boy prodigy from Bihar’s Samastipur district, on Saturday became India’s youngest debutant in international cricket by surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar who held the record for almost 37 years.The 15-year-old was handed his first India cap by Tilak Varma before the toss and was all smiles as he prepared for his first international appearance. From his first-class debut at the age of 12 to rewriting the IPL record books and shining for India Under-19 and India A, Sooryavanshi’s rise has been incredible.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s career – in numbers
- 15 years: Became India’s youngest ever debutant, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.
- Age 12: Made his first-class debut for Bihar, becoming one of the youngest players to appear in the Ranji Trophy.
- 176 runs: Scored in five matches in ACC Asia Under-19 Cup 2024.
- 58-ball century: Scored a century against Australia in the Youth Test, one of the fastest hundreds in Under-19 cricket.
- 108 not out – Youngest (14 years) to score a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT)
- 13 years: Became the youngest player in IPL history to get a contract after being signed by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.10 crore in IPL 2025 auction.
- 14 years, 23 days: Made his IPL debut and hit Shardul Thakur for a six off the first ball he faced.
- 35-ball century: At the age of 14, he became the youngest centurion in IPL history, achieving the feat against Gujarat Titans.
- 776 runs: Finished IPL 2026 as the top scorer of the tournament and won the Orange Cap.
- Most Valuable Player (MVP): Won the IPL 2026 MVP award after a record-breaking season.
- Rising Player: Also won the IPL 2026 Player of the Season award.
- Historic IPL Triple: Became the first player in IPL history to win the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player and Rising Player awards in the same season.
- 72 sixes: Hit the most sixes ever in a single IPL season, breaking Chris Gayle’s record.
- 211 runs: Scored in five matches for India A in three series at an average of 42.20 and a strike rate of 200.95.
- 94 off 29 balls: Played the match-winning knock in the India A tri-series final, helping India lift the title with a 66-run win. He scored at a strike rate of 324.13, the highest for India A in the 50-over format.
- 175 off 80 balls: Wrecked a stunning innings in the ICC Under-19 World Cup final against England to lead India to the title.
- Player of the Series: Named Player of the Tournament at the ICC Under-19 World Cup.
- 4 Centuries: Scored four centuries for India Under-19s, the second most by a youth ODI player.
- 165.18: Holds the record for the highest career strike rate (165.18) in India Under-19 ODIs.
- 1,675 runs: Scored 1,675 runs in 31 India Under-19 ODIs at an average of 55.83 – the most by any player.
