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