Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag has praised 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, comparing the teenager’s fearless, first-ball-attacking style to his own. Sehwag emphasized that at the highest levels of cricket, a player’s performance matters far more than their age.
Former Team India opener Virender Sehwag has drawn striking parallels between his own legendary playing days and teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been making waves with his aggressive batting and fearless strokeplay.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is currently part of the India squad for the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies. The 15-year-old batting prodigy was recently part of the Men in Blue that successfully defended the Asian Games gold medal under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership, defeating Pakistan in the final in Nisshin.
Sooryavanshi rose through the ranks of Indian domestic cricket and the IPL before making his mark in international cricket, where he has already shown an uncanny ability to attack bowlers right from the opening delivery.
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‘Thinking Is Similar To Me’
As Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s batting brilliance continues to captivate the cricketing world, former India opener Virender Sehwag praised the teenage sensation for his fearless mindset and unyielding intent at the crease.
Speaking at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual session in New Delhi, Sehwag noted that the 15-year-old’s aggressive approach of taking on the bowling attack right from the very first ball closely mirrors his own iconic style of play.
“Sooryavanshi is in his prime, and his thinking is somewhat similar to mine, that of hitting right from the first ball. Now, it is about when he gets the opportunity and how many matches he plays for India,” the 47-year-old said.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi first shot to fame with his performance in the IPL 2025, followed by a record-breaking outing in the U19 World Cup 2026 Final against England and a 776-run campaign in the IPL 2026, where he captured the Orange Cap and cemented his status as one of global cricket’s most exciting young phenomena.
In the Duleep Trophy for East Zone, Vaibhav had a great outing in the semifinal and final, registering scores of 92, 40, 44, and 8, helping East Zone secure the title with his impactful contributions at the top of the order.
‘Perform Matters’
Further speaking on the debate surrounding age-group restrictions and senior national team selection, Virender Sehwag firmly dismissed the notion that youth should be a barrier to playing at the highest level.
The former India opener stated that once the player gets on to the IPL stage, his age becomes irrelevant and performance is all that counts.
“Look, if you are playing in an age category, it makes sense. If it’s Under-19, your age should be under 19. But once you play the IPL or play for India, age doesn’t matter,” Sehwag added.
“A 38- or 40-year-old Kohli is playing, and a 15-year-old Sooryavanshi is also playing. Then, performance matters,” he added.
In his T20I career, Vaibhav has aggregated 246 runs, including 2 fifties, at an average of 30.75 and an impressive strike rate of 186.36 in 8 matches.
In his T20 career across all levels, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has amassed 1723 runs, including 4 centuries and 8 fifties, at an average of 42.02 and an exceptional strike rate of 214.83 in 42 matches. Out of these, he has scored 1464 runs through 152 sixes and 138 fours, meaning nearly 85% of his total runs have come entirely from boundaries.
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