Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has had a season to remember in the Indian Premier League 2026. He was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his heroics as he slammed 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30. Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke heaped praise on the teenager.
“He’s definitely the talk of this year’s IPL. The poor kid was in tears when RR got knocked out, but he can hold his head high, as he had a stellar year. If the big auction was there this year and he was in it, I don’t think you pay anyone else more than him,” Clarke said on the Beyond 23 Cricket podcast.
“Allow him time to evolve in the other formats, as he’s only 15. He will play the next T20I for India or at least definitely be in the squad. You’ll see him in a number of Indian squads just for the experience of travelling with the team, being around senior players, and training in different conditions around the world. He’s good enough to already be playing in the shortest format for India,” said Clarke.
Clarke predicted that he would be good enough to play all the formats.
“He will be good enough to play all three formats and dominate in all of them for India. He’s too talented and reads the game so well. In the Second Qualifier, he didn’t have the perfect batting conditions. He still managed to get a 90 off 40-odd balls. He showed game awareness and the skill to not just stand and smack every ball for six in the power play. It’s going to be tough for Rajasthan to keep him because everyone wants him.
Young Tendulkar
Former India pacer Atul Wassan sees shades of a young Sachin Tendulkar in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying the teenager’s maturity, audacity and fearless approach remind him of the batting great’s early days during India’s 1989 tour of Pakistan.
“He is a one in a million generational talent. Can you imagine the maturity and audacity of this boy? He reminds me of 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar.
“I saw Sachin and that game maturity and audacity to take the bull by the horns (during the 1989 tour of Pakistan). God has blessed him with X factor along with the game & power,” Wassan told PTI in an exclusive chat on Tuesday.
