Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has emerged as one of cricket’s most promising young players following an amazing 2026 season that attracted international attention. The 15-year-old enjoyed a breakout IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals, amassing 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.31 in 16 games. With a 103 off 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he finished as the tournament’s leading run scorer and set a new record for the most sixes hit in a single IPL season.
In the Under-19 World Cup final against England, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had earlier shown off his extraordinary talent by scoring 175 off 80 balls with 15 fours and 15 sixes. He broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record as India’s youngest men’s international after winning Player of the Tournament and being selected for the T20I squad for the summer 2026 trip of Ireland and England.
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is among the most recent cricket luminaries to express admiration for the teenager’s abilities: “He is incredible.” Outside of India, everyone asks if he is fifteen. On the BeerBiceps podcast, Lee said to Ranveer Allahbadia, “I don’t care how old he is. Is he 15 is probably the biggest talking point around the world.”
It’s great if he’s fifteen, but it doesn’t matter if he’s seventeen or eighteen. This child is capable of playing cricket. He has been an incredible asset to India, and he will continue to accomplish more and better things,” he continued.
Lee was particularly impressed by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s bravery in the face of powerful speed bowling during his IPL campaign.
The Australian veteran remarked, “He has already lit up the IPL in such a short space of time,” highlighting the teenager’s ability to fearlessly and effectively take on international bowlers. He was facing Australian bowlers when he scored the 97. “He was hooking them off his nose while they were bowling gas,” Lee remarked.
Balancing talent and youth
While praising Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s exceptional technical skill and power hitting, the former fast bowler advised against placing too much pressure on the young player. “He is playing proper cricketing shots and has power that he finds from somewhere,” Lee said, highlighting the importance of managing expectations while allowing the child to develop naturally.
It will just be his mentality, not his batting or form. He must still be a child. The Australian said, “Let him be a child and don’t put too much pressure on him.”
Lee, who bowled at some of the fastest speeds in cricket history, was excited about the prospect of testing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with short-pitched deliveries. He used his experience as a fast bowler to illustrate why he would appreciate such a competition.
“I used to enjoy it when someone was skilled at hooking or pulling the ball because it turned into a competition. Naturally, I would enter the boardroom, head upstairs, and have a look. I’ll attach one to his badge and observe how he uses it. The 49-year-old continued, “He might hook me for six, but that won’t stop me from giving him another one.”
