NEW DELHI: At only 15 years of age, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is drawing the sort of attention that typically follows cricket’s most established icons. The teenage batter has emerged as one of the IPL’s most talked-about young arrivals, praised for his fearless approach, his ability to hit cleanly for six, and the calm confidence he shows when facing high-quality bowling.
Mohit Sharma likens Sooryavanshi’s buzz to Dhoni
Former India fast bowler Mohit Sharma feels the youngster’s popularity is in a different bracket altogether—something he says he has not witnessed since Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Sharma explained that when Dhoni rose to prominence, fans and the cricket fraternity treated him with a unique level of recognition, regardless of venue or franchise.
“There are two such players… before this, there was one player, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for whom, no matter which of the ten franchises, which of the ten grounds you go to, you will see one name, the same aura, the same love for him everywhere,” Sharma said on Cricbuzz. He added that Sooryavanshi has started to spark a similar response in the IPL atmosphere.
Sharma continued: “And now, the second person I’ve seen like this is one who, across all ten franchises, whichever ground you walk into, the commentators standing there, the cameramen, the players from the opposition side, they all try to have a conversation with him.”
The veteran pacer also highlighted how unusual it is for such widespread admiration to surround a player who is still so young. “Because the love he gets from every side, from all directions, is so immense. I have seen only two such players,” Sharma remarked.
Murali Karthik compares the rise to Sachin’s early days
Former India batter Murali Karthik, meanwhile, drew a parallel between Sooryavanshi’s rapid ascent and the early-worldwide fame of Sachin Tendulkar. Karthik suggested that the teenager appears to be operating at a level well beyond what most people associate with someone at his age.
“I mean, seriously, he’s on a whole different level. I just can’t understand how God has given him something so special in just one lifetime,” Karthik said.
He went on to describe Sooryavanshi’s impact as almost uncanny, adding: “So, for a 15-year-old kid to be so world-renowned … he is like a genuine prodigy, he’s a genius, that kid, at just fifteen years of age.”
A young star gaining both performances and popularity
With his batting showing strong promise and his fan following growing just as quickly, Sooryavanshi is steadily becoming one of the most frequently discussed young talents in Indian cricket—an emerging name whose momentum is attracting attention far beyond the usual spotlight.
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