Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's childhood coach Manish Ojha has described his ward as a 'God's child' and credited fate and divine guidance for bringing the youngster to his academy.
'A couple of years ago, I thanked Vaibhav's father (Sanjeev Sooryavanshi) for bringing the kid to me. He is God's child. It is because of him that I got recognition, otherwise who gives two cents about a cricket coach in Bihar?,' an emotional Manish told TimesofIndia.com after the 15-year-old received his maiden India call-up for the Ireland and England series.
'Everything is God's grace. The kid is immensely talented and has worked hard. Credit to his father as well,' he added.
Riding on a sensational IPL 2026 campaign, the 15-year-old from Bihar will now don the blue jersey. Sooryavanshi smashed 776 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30 and hit a record-breaking 72 sixes, narrowly missing the fastest century in IPL history. He also bagged the Orange Cap in IPL 2026.
'When we talk about Bihar, we always talk about our past, from the Maurya Empire, Gupta Empire, Buddhism, Jainism, Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran Yatra or the JP Movement. In modern times, it has often been in the news for all the notorious things. This teenager is not only hitting sixes but also smashing those stigmas associated with Bihar out of the park. Imagine Sachin Tendulkar calling him truly special or Virat Kohli telling Vaibhav, 'Ek Bihari, sab pe bhari, phir khatam game.' What Vaibhav has managed to achieve in the last few months is phenomenal,' said Ojha.
Ojha described Sooryavanshi as a 'big-match player', citing his performances in the IPL playoffs and the U-19 World Cup final. 'It is a great call by the selectors to pick him. And this is just the beginning. He will achieve a lot more,' said Ojha.
According to his coach, Sooryavanshi is a 'quick learner' who prepares in his own way before every game. 'He prepares in his own way. It's not that he sits with video analysts, but he does his homework,' said Ojha. This conscientious approach and unshakeable temperament led the selectors to name the explosive Sooryavanshi in the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England.
Sooryavanshi has caught the attention of greats like Tendulkar and Kohli, and India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill has also been effusive in his praise. In a near-solo effort, Sooryavanshi almost dragged Rajasthan Royals into the IPL 2026 final. In the Eliminator, he smashed a 29-ball 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad and followed it up with a 47-ball 96 against Gill's Gujarat Titans.
'I think he's had a remarkable season. I've not seen anyone bat the way he bats and, in this format, he is probably one of the best batters in the world right now,' Gill had said after Qualifier 2 in Mullanpur. 'It is remarkable to watch his batting, not just the hitting but also his biomechanics and hand speed. He didn't get off to a flyer in Qualifier 2, but the way he managed to come back into the game and kept putting us under pressure tells you about the mindset he has. I think, in the years to come, the opposition he plays against is going to have a tough time against him,' Gill added.
With all the praise comes responsibility and scrutiny. Questions have already been raised about whether he can succeed in Test cricket. Even his father has set lofty goals for his son. 'Till the time he does not play Tests, I won't consider him a big cricketer,' Sanjeev had told this website after Sooryavanshi's heroics in the U-19 World Cup.
For now, though, the focus is on the next step of a journey moving at a breathtaking pace. From a small town in Bihar to IPL superstardom and now an India call-up at just 15, Sooryavanshi has already shattered expectations. The challenge ahead will be to convert extraordinary promise into lasting greatness, but if his coach is to be believed, this is only the beginning of a much larger story.
