Teen Prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Rewrites Cricket History with Dominant World Cup Final Performance
Conventional cricket wisdom suggests that facing deliveries bowled at speeds exceeding 90 miles per hour would be an insurmountable challenge for a 13-year-old batter. However, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has spectacularly defied this assumption, fearlessly striking international bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Jofra Archer to all corners of the ground with remarkable consistency.
Unorthodox Technique and Natural Talent
Traditional cricket coaching emphasizes keeping the hands close to the body during the backlift to maintain precise control over the bat swing. Sooryavanshi boldly diverges from this textbook approach, employing a backlift that moves away from his body. This distinctive technique has become a hallmark of his batting style, challenging established coaching norms.
At just 14 years old, Sooryavanshi is two years younger than Sachin Tendulkar was during his India debut. His powerful and elegant bat-swing evokes comparisons to legendary left-handers like Brian Lara, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Yuvraj Singh. Similar to teenage football sensation Lamine Yamal, Sooryavanshi consistently performs at levels far beyond what his age would typically suggest.
Talent has never been in question for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. With his magnificent 80-ball 175 against England in the Under-19 World Cup final on Friday, he has emphatically silenced any remaining doubts about his temperament and ability to deliver under the immense pressure of cricket's biggest stages.
Historic World Cup Final Performance
Sooryavanshi produced what will be remembered as one of the most dominant innings in Under-19 World Cup history. His explosive 175, featuring 15 massive sixes, propelled India to a formidable total of 411 for 9 against England in the final at Harare. England, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the target and the psychological impact of Sooryavanshi's assault, were bowled out for 311 in 40.2 overs while chasing 412 against India's disciplined bowling attack.
Record-Breaking Achievements
Sooryavanshi's innings established multiple tournament records:
- He reached his century in just 55 balls, becoming the second-fastest centurion in Under-19 World Cup history
- His 175 represents the highest individual score ever recorded in an Under-19 World Cup final
- The match produced the highest team total in any final of the tournament
- Sooryavanshi now holds the record for most sixes in a Youth ODI innings with 15, surpassing his own previous mark of 14 against UAE
- He achieved the fastest 150 in Under-19 cricket, reaching the milestone in 71 balls
The young prodigy reached his first fifty in 32 balls and maintained the same blistering pace throughout his innings, with his second fifty coming off just 23 deliveries. Remarkably, 150 of his 175 runs came through boundaries, with 15 sixes complemented by an equal number of fours. During his explosive partnership, India's scoring rate hovered near 10 runs per over, with the projected total briefly crossing 500 midway through the innings.
Vedant Trivedi, batting at the opposite end, faced only four deliveries between Sooryavanshi's 100 and 150, highlighting the astonishing speed at which runs were accumulated.
Metoric Rise Through Cricket Ranks
Sooryavanshi first captured widespread attention in November 2024 when Rajasthan Royals signed him for Rs 1.10 crore, making him the youngest player ever to receive an IPL contract at just 13 years and 243 days old. By that time, he had already represented India Under-19 and scored a century as an opener against Australia Under-19 in a four-day match in Chennai.
His career highlights include:
- A 58-ball century against Australia Under-19 at 13 years and 187 days, making him the youngest century-maker in youth cricket
- An IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals on April 19, 2025, where he hit a six off his first ball against Shardul Thakur
- A 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans in his third IPL appearance, featuring the second-fastest IPL century in history
- The fastest Youth ODI century at the time in July 2025, reached in 52 balls
- Appointment as Bihar's vice-captain for the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy season following impressive performances on India Under-19's Australian tour
In November 2025, Sooryavanshi scored 144 off just 42 balls for India A against UAE in the Asia Cup Rising Stars, with his century coming in 32 balls. A few weeks later, he hammered 171 off 95 balls against UAE Under-19 in the opening match of the Under-19 Asia Cup.
At 14 years and 272 days, Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to score a century in men's List A cricket while playing for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He reached his century in 36 balls and later scored the fastest 150 in men's List A cricket off 59 balls, eventually being dismissed for 190 off 84 deliveries with 16 fours and 15 sixes.
Player of the Tournament Recognition
Sooryavanshi scored 439 runs and took 1 wicket throughout the Under-19 World Cup, earning the prestigious Player of the Tournament award after India secured their sixth Under-19 World Cup title on Friday.
"I had faith in my skills that I can contribute in big games and today it happened," Sooryavanshi stated during the post-match presentation ceremony.
At just 14 years old, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already become a world champion. He has capitalized on nearly every opportunity presented to him thus far. However, cricket experts emphasize that he remains a young teenager who requires space to develop naturally without excessive expectations. Given the freedom to grow at his own pace, Sooryavanshi appears poised to take the international cricketing world by storm in the coming years.
