Vaibhav Sooryavanshi wrote his name into the history books by becoming the youngest IPL centurion - just nine days after his record‑breaking debut as a 14‑year‑old in 2025.
Now 15, India's latest cricketing prodigy has continued his remarkable trajectory, fuelling calls for him to be unleashed on the international stage.
Sooryavanshi lit up his debut IPL season with a 35‑ball hundred as a 14‑year‑old, and he has proven to be anything but a flash in the pan in the 2026 edition, showcasing a staggering ability to thrive on the biggest stages with the Rajasthan Royals.
He became the youngest player, and the fastest by balls faced, to complete 1,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket as he smashed a 36-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday.
Sooryavanshi hit 12 sixes and five boundaries as he completed his second century in the IPL, shortly after reaching 1,000 runs in T20 cricket, having faced just 473 balls in the format.
The previous record was held by Australia's Mitchell Owen, who completed 1,000 runs in 533 balls.
The century was the third fastest in IPL history, after Chris Gayle's 30-ball ton in 2013 and Sooryavanshi's own 35-ball hundred last year.
"There wasn't much thinking, I just played according to the ball. The wicket felt good, so I backed my game," said Sooryavanshi, who had hit four sixes in the first over.
"I think about which bowlers are in the opposition, what shots I can play against them, I try to visualise all of that." The teenager, who has yet to make his senior debut for India, has been in scorching form this season, having earlier scored two 15-ball fifties against Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins praised the Royals' batting prodigy, calling him his new "favourite player".
"I think he's my new favourite player," a smiling Cummins said of the teenaged opener. "He's hits the ball so hard. It's great to watch, it's good fun. You got to be right on the money as a bowler."
"He's had a great start to his career and I love the way he plays. It takes the game on."
"We just cannot believe how someone can hit like that. He is a great talent and we feel good that he is in our team," said India and Rajasthan Royals wicketkeeper‑batter Dhruv Jurel.
"When you go in, and Vaibhav is smashing every ball, you tend to think nothing is happening on the wicket. Cricket is not as easy as he's playing."
With would‑be international team‑mates like Jurel waxing lyrical about his ability, it begs one pertinent question.
India have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to emerging talent, and with their T20 side newly-crowned World Cup winners, it remains to be seen whether selectors see fit to tinker with a winning formula.
But every now and then a player so special arrives that they simply cannot be ignored.
Sachin Tendulkar. Virat Kohli. Rohit Sharma. Shubman Gill. Yashasvi Jaiswal. Sooryavanshi appears to be cut from that cloth.
A sensational 175 fired India to a 100-run victory over England - and a record sixth title - in February's U19 World Cup final in Harare, as he once again proved he cut it against the very best.
A stacked summer of white‑ball fixtures presents ample opportunity for him to make his international bow.
If calls to hand the 15‑year‑old a debut in the upcoming multi‑format series against Afghanistan go unanswered, his breakthrough could come in the British Isles, with India facing Ireland and England across seven T20Is and three ODIs in June and July.
Whether it comes this summer or not, it seems only a matter of time before Sooryavanshi gets the call from India. The world of cricket has been put on notice.
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