Indian cricket may be witnessing the rise of another once-in-a-generation talent. At just 15 years old, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already achieved something most cricketers only dream of – earning a call-up to the Indian team while still in his mid-teens. Unsurprisingly, his rapid rise has drawn comparisons with one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen, Sachin Tendulkar.
The comparison is hard to ignore. Sachin Tendulkar made his international debut at the age of 16 after being fast-tracked into the Indian setup because of his extraordinary talent. More than three decades later, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi now has a chance to go one step further and become the youngest cricketer ever to represent India at the international level.
Although he is only at the beginning of his journey, the young batter has already made a huge impact. Playing for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi enjoyed a historic season. He finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, winning the Orange Cap and becoming the youngest player ever to achieve that feat. During the season, he scored nearly 800 runs and established himself as one of the biggest stories in world cricket.
Among those impressed by his performances was England star Jos Buttler, who saw the youngster up close during the IPL while representing Gujarat Titans. Speaking on a podcast, Jos Buttler said Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fully deserved his place in what he described as an exceptionally strong Indian side.
Jos Buttler also pointed out how competitive India’s selection process has become. He noted that the team management had made significant decisions in shaping the squad, including moving on from World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav and selecting players who had recently delivered strong performances. He highlighted the impact of Shreyas Iyer, praising both his leadership and batting numbers.
The England batter also revealed an interesting conversation with Gujarat Titans assistant coach Ashish Kapoor. Curious about the growing excitement around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jos Buttler asked whether the buzz felt similar to the attention Sachin Tendulkar received as a teenager.
According to Ashish Kapoor, the biggest difference between the two eras is visibility. While cricket fans in Sachin Tendulkar’s early days mostly relied on newspaper reports, word of mouth and occasional television coverage, modern fans can watch every moment of a young player’s journey through social media and digital platforms.
As a result, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already become a household name despite not yet playing international cricket. Millions have watched his performances in the IPL, the world’s biggest T20 competition, making him one of the most recognised young cricketers in the country.
For Jos Buttler, however, the excitement is about more than just hype. He believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s selection is backed by performance. After scoring more than 700 runs at a strike rate above 200 and finishing as the tournament’s standout player, the teenager has done enough to prove that he belongs at the highest level.
Now, all eyes are on whether the 15-year-old can turn a dream start into a legendary career.
