There is not a single day in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi doesn’t impress and not draw accolades from current or former cricketers. He is just that good. At the age of 15, he is truly a superstar. Rather, a global superstar, if truth be told.
On Saturday night, Sooryavanshi scored his first century this IPL season, second overall. Playing at his home ground at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, the left-hander put Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers to the sword. He scored his century off just 36 balls and at times even made a seasoned, high-quality fast bowler like Pat Cummins look like a mere mortal.
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The entire cricket world has been chanting his name ever since. Rather all the more so since. And now he has drawn comparisons with an up-and-coming football star, Lamine Yamal, who needs no introduction. Those who don’t follow football, Yamal is a playmaker who plays for Barcelona and the Spanish national team. He is all of 18 years and has played more than 100 games for the Catalans and a couple of dozen games for his national team. Today, he is the hottest property in global football.
The way Sooryavanshi batted has made Sam Billings, who has also played in the IPL in the past, draw a very pertinent parallel. He asks an important question, too. The England wicket-keeper batsman is currently playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for Rawalpindiz.
Despite having a busy schedule of his own, Billings made time to comment on Rajasthan Royals’ Sooryavanshi’s heroics with the bat. In a post on X, he didn’t beat around the bush and said what Sooryavanshi brings to the table is something that can only be comparable with what Yamal does on the field of football. No small praise, is it? This is what he wrote.
“Is Sooryavanshi the best 15-year-old ever in any professional sport? Truly remarkable what he is doing!!!! We’re watching Lamine Yamal level talent!”
Ajit Agarkar under pressure!
There are already discussions about whether Sooryavanshi should be fast-tracked into the Indian team. He is a generational talent. Some say he should be called into the team as soon as possible, while others are of the opinion that maybe he needs to be given more time to hone his skills, after all, international cricket is a totally different ball game. This debate is as hot as any debate can be.
By the look of things, Indian selectors, headed by Ajit Agarkar, might crumble under immense public pressure and put him on the flight to Ireland in June, where the team will play two games before their high-profile white-ball tour of England.
What happens in the future we don’t know, but there is no doubt Sooryavanshi completely owns the spotlight at present. He should enjoy this phase of his life as much as he can.