Indian cricket's legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed sheer astonishment at the phenomenal consistency of teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 14-year-old prodigy has been setting the cricketing world ablaze with his performances across domestic and youth international cricket over the past month.
A Month of Record-Shattering Innings
The young left-handed batter from Bihar has been in a league of his own. His remarkable journey included a stunning campaign in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he played a pivotal role for his state team. In a penultimate outing for Bihar, Sooryavanshi converted his maiden List A century into a monumental, unbeaten 190 runs off just 84 balls. This knock was part of a world-record team total and featured a 54-ball 150, the fastest-ever in the history of men's List A cricket.
Carrying this scintillating form onto the international stage, Sooryavanshi, leading the India Under-19 team as captain in South Africa, delivered yet another masterclass. On Wednesday, January 8, 2026, he hammered his third Youth ODI century, and his first as skipper, reaching the milestone in a mere 63 balls. His explosive innings powered the Indian colts to a dominant victory, completing a comprehensive 3-0 series whitewash over the South Africa U19 side.
R Ashwin's Viral Tribute
The sheer weight of runs compelled Ashwin to take to social media platform X and hail the young phenomenon. The veteran off-spinner posted a staggering list of Sooryavanshi's recent scores, which included innings like 171(95), 190(84), and 108*(61).
"171(95), 50(26), 190(84), 68(24), 108*(61), 46(25) & 127(74) today. These are just some of Vaibhav Suryavanshi's scores in the last 30 days across domestic & U19 cricket. Enna thambi, indha adi podhuma, illa innum konjam venuma? (What's all this brother? Is this sample enough, or are you going to raise the bar further?). You can't explain in words what this kid is doing at 14," Ashwin wrote, capturing the disbelief and excitement of the cricketing fraternity.
The Road Ahead: U19 World Cup and IPL
All eyes are now firmly set on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as he prepares to lead India's charge at the ICC 2026 Under-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe, which begins next week. With uncertainty over the availability of Ayush Mhatre, Sooryavanshi is likely to continue as the captain and will be expected to be the team's standout performer.
Ashwin also highlighted the intense schedule awaiting the teenager. "With the U19 WC round the corner where he's expected to be the showstopper, followed immediately by the leap to the IPL for his first full season as an opener stepping into the big shoes of Sanju, the next four months of #VaibhavWatch is going to be exciting, telling us everything about his temperament, hunger & character," Ashwin added. Sooryavanshi is part of the Rajasthan Royals squad in the Indian Premier League.
The cricketing world is witnessing the rapid rise of a potential superstar. At just 14, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is not just breaking records; he is redefining expectations for young cricketers, with legends like R Ashwin leading the applause.
