Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Tipped for India Debut Following T20 World Cup 2026
Ashwin predicts teenage prodigy could enter senior setup after T20 World Cup 2026 following historic 175 in final
India, Feb 07 : India clinched their record extending sixth ICC Under-19 World Cup title after defeating England in the 2026 final, with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivering a performance for the ages. The 14 year old opener smashed a stunning 175 off just 80 balls, rewriting several records and cementing his status as one of the brightest prospects in Indian cricket.
Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary knock powered India to victory in the summit clash and drew widespread praise from the cricketing fraternity. Among those impressed was former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who believes the youngster may not have to wait long for his senior international debut.
Taking to X, Ashwin highlighted the magnitude of the innings, noting that Sooryavanshi struck 15 fours and 15 sixes, with more than 85 percent of his runs coming in boundaries. He described the batter as a prodigy with a rare ability to thrive under pressure.
Ashwin also pointed to the opener’s semifinal effort 68 from 33 balls while chasing a 300-plus target—as further evidence of his big-match temperament. Across the tournament, Sooryavanshi emerged as the leading run-scorer with 439 runs at an average of 62.71 and an exceptional strike rate nearing 170.
“A strike rate like that is elite in any format,” Ashwin observed, adding that the youngster is “knocking hard on the doors of international cricket.” He suggested that a debut shortly after the 2026 T20 World Cup would not be surprising if the teenager continues on the same trajectory.
Records tumble in historic final knock
The milestone innings saw Sooryavanshi become the youngest player to score a century in the history of the Under-19 World Cup at just 14 years and 316 days, surpassing Babar Azam’s previous record.
His 15 sixes also set a new benchmark for the most maximums in a Youth ODI innings, overtaking his own tally of 14 from a match against the UAE in 2025.
The explosive knock further established a new record for the highest individual score in an Under-19 World Cup final, eclipsing Unmukt Chand’s 111. Additionally, it marked the first 150 plus score ever recorded in a knockout match in the tournament, bettering Nicholas Pooran’s 142 from 2014.
Demonstrating remarkable consistency, the young batter also became the first cricketer to register four scores above fifty in a single edition of the competition at a strike rate exceeding 200.
With performances of this calibre at such a young age, the conversation has already shifted from youth dominance to when not if Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will step onto the field for Team India.
