Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is turning heads with performances that make it hard for Ajit Agarkar and the All India Senior Men’s selection group to overlook him as India looks ahead to a T20I series against Ireland and England later this year. The 15-year-old delivered a sensational batting display in the IPL 2026 on Saturday, smashing a century off just 36 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Even Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins has joined the chorus of admirers, calling the teenager his “new favourite player.”
Sooryavanshi’s rise has sparked debate about whether India should fast-track him into the playing XI, with some pundits arguing he could become the youngest-ever debutant for the country. Still, former West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite believes the Indian team management should slow things down slightly and make sure the teenager understands the demands and pressure of international cricket before being handed a debut.
Quick facts
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is 15 years old and drew major praise after a century in IPL 2026.
- He scored a 36-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday.
- Pat Cummins called Sooryavanshi his “new favourite player.”
- Carlos Brathwaite urged India to manage his transition with more restraint.
- Brathwaite compared the approach to how Brian Lara was handled in his early years.
- Sooryavanshi was Player of the Match in the U19 World Cup final vs England, scoring 175 off 80 balls.
- Brathwaite said he still feels “inadequate” watching what Sooryavanshi is achieving at 15.
Brathwaite’s key point is that India’s set-up should prepare Sooryavanshi properly rather than jumping straight into the deepest end. He suggested the team take a similar route to the one West Indies followed with Brian Lara—bringing him into the environment, letting him learn from senior players, and gradually building his comfort before an international debut.
To illustrate his argument, Brathwaite recalled that Lara was widely viewed as an exceptional prospect early on, but the West Indies camp still integrated him into the group first. In that phase, Lara spent time around established stars, including Vivian Richards, before finally getting a chance to play at the top level. The former all-rounder said the context mattered too—Lara’s early development came through a heavy schedule of tour games where he could build experience alongside seasoned professionals.
Brathwaite’s Lara blueprint
“I apologise, Vaibhav, but if you look at how the West Indies handled Brian Lara. He was a generational talent, everyone knew. So what did the West Indies do? They put him in the mix with Viv Richards and whatnot, but he didn’t play international cricket,” Brathwaite said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. He added that Lara was allowed to “cut his teeth” with senior players first, before the debut came later.
Brathwaite then argued that India could blend learning and exposure in a way that suits Sooryavanshi. He pointed out that the Indian team already has experienced leaders and role models—suggesting the youngster could learn from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, while also staying close to other younger players near his age. His message was clear: build readiness and confidence before accelerating his international debut timeline.
On the field, Brathwaite’s admiration for Sooryavanshi is driven by both IPL impact and performances at youth level. He emphasized that the teenager isn’t merely benefiting from one competition; his run-making has been consistent across formats and stages.
Brathwaite also referenced Sooryavanshi’s U19 World Cup moment, when he was named Player of the Match in the final against England. That day, the 15-year-old hammered 175 runs off 80 balls, underlining the scale of his talent long before the IPL spotlight.
Speaking emotionally about what he is witnessing now, Brathwaite said he feels humbled by the gap between age and achievement. At 37, he admitted he cannot replicate what Sooryavanshi is doing at 15, noting that when Brathwaite himself was that age, he was still learning and getting “licks” at home from parents.
“It makes me feel so inadequate as a human being. Because at 37, I probably can’t do what he is doing at 15,” Brathwaite said. He then added that Sooryavanshi is already sharing punishment with some of the best—describing how he is taking on bowlers like Bumrah and the top names in the business.
Brathwaite framed Sooryavanshi’s success as exactly what the IPL is built to deliver: the chance to discover a 15-year-old sensation who could become the face of the league very soon. He highlighted the broader significance as well—both the financial rewards and the legacy that such a talent can create—calling Sooryavanshi “just sensational” and saying words cannot fully capture the moment.
“The financial reward, the legacy he can create. He has the world at his feet and is the platform that the IPL can provide. He is just sensational man. I don’t think words can justify it. You just have to marvel at what you are witnessing and enjoy the fact that he’s here,” Brathwaite concluded.
