Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a game changer in his own right

There is a disarming candour to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s demeanour, both on and off the field. Not only is his batting fearless, his candid interviews are refreshingly honest, witty, and innocently unfiltered — his nonchalance as endearing as his audacious style of play. And the cricketing world has taken notice.

Former players, coaches, and fans alike have been quick to praise the power-hitter. Australian cricketer and coach Justin Langer finds it a “privilege to watch Vaibhav bat,” while former national selector Devang Gandhi has gone so far as to say he deserves an India cap — cut to June 26, when Viabhav made his debut with the senior India T20 squad, earning his spot after a record-breaking season at the Indian Premier League (IPL). This makes him the youngest player ever to represent the Indian men’s senior team, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s 37-year old age record.

Much of the IPL in 2026 was a delight to watch because of Vaibhav’s aggressive stroke play. After dominating bowling attacks, he became the youngest player to win the Orange Cap — as the leading run-scorer with 776 runs — and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award with 436.5 points. He also won Emerging Player of the Season, Super Sixes of the Season (record 72 sixes), and Super Striker of the Season (with a strike rate of 237.30), and was also the first batter in the tournament’s history to score 500 powerplay runs in one edition.

A year earlier, at 14, Vaibhav became the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket, cracking 101 off just 38 balls. Born in Tajpur, a small town in Bihar, far removed from the country’s major cricketing centres, his journey began early. His meteoric rise was thanks, in part, to his father Sanjiv’s unfulfilled dream to be a cricketer. It paved the way for his journey — one that would go on to give India its most exciting young batters in recent history.

Vaibhav was just four when he enrolled at coach Manish Ojha’s GenNex Cricket Academy in Patna. Together, they travelled nearly 100km on alternate days for practise, a routine built on grit and belief.

The hard work paid off rapidly. Vaibhav, at 13, became the youngest player to secure an IPL contract, with Rajasthan Royals signing him for Rs 1.1 crore ahead of the 2025 season — and the rest is history in the making. A year later, he announced himself with a blistering century — one of the fastest in IPL history — firmly establishing his reputation as a once-in-a-generation talent.

Today, the teen isn’t just breaking records — he’s redefining them.

This story was featured in the Vol 1. Issue 9 of HELLO! India. For more exclusive stories, subscribe to the magazine here.