Vaibhav Sooryavanshi says India selection is “biggest step” of career

Teen batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi called his India T20 squad selection the biggest step of his career after a stellar IPL 2026 season. The 15-year-old could become India’s youngest international cricketer if he debuts in Ireland or England

New Delhi: Teenaged batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi says getting selected in the Indian T20 squad is the “biggest step” of his nascent career so far, adding that he does not have words to describe how it feels.

The 15-year-old was included in the India squad for the tours of Ireland and England starting June 26 after a stellar run in IPL 2026, where he scored 776 runs for Rajasthan Royals at a strike rate of over 230.

---

“Words can’t explain it. The reason I picked up a bat from day one and went to the cricket ground for practice, and today that dream is fulfilled,” Sooryavanshi said in a brief video posted by the BCCI on its social media handles.

“The biggest step in the journey was completed today. I truly cannot put this feeling into words,” he added.

Sooryavanshi started his cricketing journey in the humble surroundings of Samastipur in Bihar and came into the limelight in IPL 2025, scoring a marauding century against Gujarat Titans.

At 14 years and 32 days then, he remains the youngest centurion in T20 cricket with his 38-ball 101 on April 28, 2025, against Gujarat.

Now, the left-hander’s national debut could happen in Belfast against Ireland either on June 26 or 28.

If he features against either Ireland or England, Sooryavanshi could become the youngest ever international cricketer for India at 15, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 16 years and 205 days.

Sooryavanshi said he deeply cherishes the moment he unboxed his India T-shirt with his name printed on the back.

“I just felt like it was a dream when I saw that T-shirt. I couldn’t stop smiling,” he said.

“Sometimes, something happens that you never even imagined could happen, and when it finally does, you don’t know how to react. That’s exactly how I felt,” he added.