Exactly a year ago, Rahul Dravid reached out to a then-14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from Bihar’s Samastipur for a chat just ahead of the youngster’s IPL debut. The teenager had already drawn attention around the cricket circuit, mostly because of his age—but there was more behind Rajasthan Royals’ decision to pay INR 1.1 crore for him.
Dravid’s aim was simple: a quick pep talk, assuming Sooryavanshi might be feeling the jitters that come with any debut, and possibly even more with the added weight of being so young. Instead, the reply he got left a lasting impression on the former head coach of the Royals.
Quick facts
- Rahul Dravid spoke to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi when he was 14, before his IPL debut.
- Rajasthan Royals bought Sooryavanshi for INR 1.1 crore.
- Sooryavanshi’s stated intent: hit every ball for a six.
- In his IPL debut, he sent Shardul Thakur’s first delivery for six.
- In the next season, he hit first-ball sixes vs Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood.
- He also attacked bowlers including Kagiso Rabada and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
- This season, Sooryavanshi has scored 440 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 236.55, with one century and two fifties.
- Dravid highlighted how elite bowlers had to plan intensely to stop him.
- The BCCI included him in India A for an ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka in June 2026, featuring Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
When Dravid questioned Sooryavanshi about his approach, the youngster didn’t talk like someone hoping to survive. He said he planned to hit every delivery for a six. Dravid later recognized it wasn’t childish swagger or blind confidence—it was sharp self-belief, rooted in a clear understanding of his own game.
That mindset surfaced instantly. On the very first ball of his IPL career, Sooryavanshi cleared the ropes, dispatching Shardul Thakur for a six. If the earlier IPL 2025 campaign served as a glimpse—complete with a record-breaking 35-ball century—the following year delivered the full, undeniable show.
From debut nerves to elite-bowler battles
With plenty of voices warning him about the difficulty of a second IPL season, the now 15-year-old arrived ready to take on the best. He struck immediately, launching Jasprit Bumrah for a first-ball six, and then repeated the same statement the next time he faced Josh Hazlewood—again, on the first ball.
Sooryavanshi didn’t stop there. He also showed composure and intent against top names such as Kagiso Rabada and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, attacking them with the kind of fearlessness that tends to belong only to far more experienced batters.
Speaking to Wisden, Dravid explained what truly amazed him wasn’t just the raw talent. It was the way a 15-year-old compelled high-quality bowlers to spend time in team meetings working out ways to deal with him.
Dravid described it as “incredible” to watch a young player take on some of the world’s best and do it so successfully. He added that, in his mind, those elite bowlers must have been thinking about the match-ups and tactics around a teenager—something none of them would have expected a year and a half earlier.
He went on to say that if someone had been told back then that seasoned campaigners would be discussing a 15-year-old in team meetings, they would probably have laughed. In that sense, Dravid felt what Sooryavanshi has achieved is remarkable.
Sooryavanshi’s impact this season has been equally substantial in numbers. He has amassed 440 runs across 11 innings at a strike rate of 236.55, including a century and two fifties.
Dravid also spoke about the broader significance of such talent emerging in India, saying it’s good for the game. He expressed hope that Sooryavanshi can continue fulfilling the “immense talent” he has shown, adding that the youngster is already bringing joy to many and should keep doing so.
Because of his IPL performances, the BCCI has now added Sooryavanshi to the India A squad for an upcoming one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka. The tournament is scheduled for June 2026, with matches involving Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
