IPL chief Arun Dhumal hails 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as future India star

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal praised 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as a rare talent with the potential to become India’s youngest debutant, while noting strong competition for opening spots despite the youngster’s explosive performances in IPL 2026.

New Delhi: IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has heaped praise on 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying that the teenager has the potential to become India’s youngest-ever international debutant. However, he clarified that he is not advocating for an immediate call-up, even as he termed the youngster a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for selectors.

Sooryavanshi, who made headlines by becoming the youngest player ever signed in an IPL auction last year, was once again at his explosive best, racing to a 15-ball fifty before finishing with a breathtaking 78 off just 26 deliveries against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Friday.

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Dhumal noted that while the senior national team is currently spoiled for choice for the opening slot, considering the talents like Abhishek Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sanju Samson, the 15-year-old batter represents a unique case.

“I know there isn’t really a slot available in the opening position right now, considering the kind of talent we have — players like Abhishek, Jaiswal, and Sanju are all performing very well. But at just 15 years of age, I personally feel he (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) has the potential to become the youngest debutant for India. I’m not pushing for his inclusion, but this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the selectors to consider picking such a young talent,” Dhumal told IANS.

Earlier, Sooryavanshi had also taken on India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, smashing him for two sixes in an over – including one off the very first ball he faced – during RR’s victory over the Mumbai Indians.

Sooryavanshi’s fifty against RCB was his second of the season, having also struck a 15-ball half century in RR’s season opener against Chennai Super Kings. Both his half-centuries this season came in just 15 balls, making them joint-third fastest fifties in IPL history. He also leads the six-hitting charts with 18 maximums and boasts the best strike rate of 266.66 in the campaign.