Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a youngster, has been hailed by former India opener Kris Srikkanth as a potential prominent figure in world cricket, emphasising the young player’s ability to succeed in all three game formats.
With his accomplishments in domestic competitions, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has captivated the interest of Indian cricket. The young batsman gained notoriety when he scored 92 off 81 balls in the first innings of the Duleep Trophy 2026 semifinal between East Zone and Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru. East Zone won the semifinal by four wickets thanks to his 40 runs in the second innings.
Kris Srikkanth, a former captain of India, has stated that he is quite optimistic about Sooryavanshi’s future. Srikkanth emphasised the influence the young player has already had on Indian cricket fans when discussing the teenager’s performances.
The Statesman reports that Sooryavanshi broke the previous record set by Laxman Singh, who made a half-century at 16 years and 23 days in 1969, by becoming the youngest Duleep Trophy half-century scorer at 15 years and 157 days, scoring fifty in 42 balls.
Talking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said, “He’s playing outstandingly well. He must be encouraged and never be discouraged. If he’s moulded properly, he’ll be a superstar in the making. He’ll bring Test cricket back to its glory. Everyone watched the Duleep Trophy because of him. Even my wife is watching because of him. He’ll be a big asset going forward for World cricket.”
Sooryavanshi’s second first-class half-century came in the 92-run innings. In the Ranji Trophy 2025–26 Plate Group, he scored his highest first-class score of 93 for Bihar against Meghalaya. Sooryavanshi helped East Zone defeat North East Zone by an innings and 210 runs in the Duleep Trophy quarterfinal, scoring 8 runs and taking 2 for 11 with the ball.
Srikkanth went into more detail about Sooryavanshi’s versatility and his capacity to rule international cricket. The former captain was adamant about the teen’s ability to perform consistently against high-calibre bowling and his preparedness for higher levels of competition.
He added, “He played incredibly well. How can people even doubt whether this boy is capable of playing higher-level cricket? He can play every level of cricket, and he is going to rule world cricket shortly in all formats. He’s smashing medium pacers with no worries for straight sixes in red-ball cricket. He’s toying with the bowlers.”
During the period under evaluation, Sooryavanshi’s performances went beyond domestic cricket. India won the series 3-0 thanks to his 151 runs in three games against Zimbabwe, which earned him the Player of the Series title. His IPL 2026 season with the Rajasthan Royals was outstanding; he amassed 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30, including five fifties and one century. He smashed 72 sixes, finishing as the tournament’s top run scorer, and won numerous honours, including the Orange Cap, MVP, Emerging Player, Super Striker, and Super Sixes titles.
