Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for RR [Source: AFP]
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old asset of Rajasthan Royals, is already in contention to become one of the best openers of all time in T20 cricket. Although not a part of the Indian national setup yet, the batter has delivered superb results in the Indian Premier League.
Even at such an immature age, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s brute power to clear the ropes with ease has been a matter of discussion among cricket experts, and some former cricketers are already imagining what he could do over the next 5 to 10 years.
As discussions and debates went on among former England greats, Phil Tufnell sarcastically sealed the retirement date of the young Rajasthan opener while running through his possible accomplishments in cricket.
Sooryavanshi Smashes Records In Domestic Cricket!
He has already become the youngest-ever centurion in men's T20 and Test cricket. With his 35-ball century at the age of 14 and three 15-ball half-centuries in IPL 2026, he is already the centre of discussions among cricket experts.
Notably, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also became the highest scorer in an Under-19 World Cup final with his record-breaking 80-ball 175.
He is also one of the youngest players to reach 1,000 T20 runs at the age of 15 years and 29 days. His massive power to clear the ropes is also displayed through his solid record of having the fastest 50 IPL sixes, which he achieved in only 15 innings.
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England Greats Debate Sooryavanshi’s Potential
During an episode of the ‘Stick to Cricket’ podcast, Michael Vaughan, Phil Tufnell, Alastair Cook, and David Lloyd discussed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's prospects in the upcoming years.
Vaughan praised the youngster's remarkable achievements at just 15 years of age and how he is close to breaking legendary records.
“So, Chris Gayle’s got the fastest IPL hundred – off 30 balls. This kid has already hit a 100 off 35 balls. The most sixes by any Indian batter in a single edition is 42 by Ahishek Sharma in 2024. This kid is on 37 now,” Vaughan said.
Alastair Cook too did not mince words while praising the Rajasthan Royals opener, labelling him the best six-hitter in the world right now.
“Absolutely yes. But what did he go for? What did they sign him for as a 14-year-old? I thought he signed a two-year deal. How much is he going to go for the next year at the auction?” Cook said.
England Veteran Opines On Sooryavanshi's Retirement Age
As Vaughan also backed Sooryavanshi to feature in the upcoming Ireland tour for the Indian cricket team, Phil Tufnell, adding his witty sarcasm, joked that at the rate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is breaking records, he might hang up his boots by the time he turns 21 years old.
“He could be burnt out by 21. He’ll have enough cash by then. Might retire,” Tufnell said.
While the reference was actually a remark on burnout, Sooryavanshi is not just a solo example of a cricketer starting at a young age, since he comes from the land of the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar.
For the unaware, the Master Blaster also started playing for the national setup at the age of 16 years and 205 days, making his Test debut against Pakistan on November 15, 1989.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Far From Burnout With IPL 2026 Heroics
Nevertheless, burnout is a serious issue. At the rate Sooryavanshi is playing, if he gets to feature in almost all of India's T20 and potentially ODI games alongside domestic cricket, he might get physically exhausted.
His performance could also reach a saturation point. Brushing that aside for now, Sooryavanshi is doing exceptionally well, continuing to smash records in IPL 2026.
In IPL 2026, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already bagged 404 runs from 10 innings while averaging 40.40 at a massive strike rate of 237.65. In the process, he has already scored a century and also bagged two half-centuries for his team.
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