Why Gautam Gambhir and Hardik Pandya had an intense chat ahead of India vs USA T20 WC
“He was jumping for joy with the other boys. I told him I’d talk to him later because it’s an unforgettable moment. He won’t be playing under-19s after this. He should enjoy it,” he adds.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!On Friday, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smoked 15 sixes and 15 fours in a strike of 218.75 during a brutal and breathtaking knock in the U-19 World Cup final against England at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe. He scored 24 off his first 24 balls, making his last 151 runs off just 56 deliveries. His knock proved to be the difference as India beat England by 100 runs to win the title for a record sixth time.
India defeated England to win the ICC Under-19 World Cup for a record sixth time. (ICC Media Zone)
“This is just the beginning, there is still a long way to go (This is just the beginning, there is much more to achieve). Jab tak Test na khele, kya bada cricket (Until he plays Tests, I won’t consider him a great cricketer),” says Sanjeev, who has set high goals for his son.In Patna, Vaibhav’s coach Manish Ojha’s phone is buzzing with congratulatory messages and strange requests: “Sir, my son is two years old, please make him a Vaibhava cricketer. (My son is two years old, let him be like Vaibhav.)“Absolute madness ho rakha hai. That’s the kind of news I get. Vaibhav has brought a sports revolution to Bihar. People are letting their kids play sports now,” says Ojha, quoting a local saying that became a song in the MS Dhoni biopic: “Padhoge likhoge banoge nawaab, kheloge kudoge banoge kharaab (If you study, you will become a noble, if you only play, you will be ruined.)
Trendsetter
Vaibhav’s rise is certainly something Bihar needed. In cricket, Vaibhav has become a trendsetter, as Ojha says: “He is not a player who believes in singles or doubles. His belief system, his instinct tells him only one thing: go for the kill. He believes in total dominance.”Not to forget, Vaibhav hails from a state that has always set trends. As English boys in Harare tasted on Friday, the roots of the British Empire were shaken in 1917 when Mahatma Gandhi launched the Champaran Satyagraha against the Tinkathia system. Fast forward to 1974, socialist Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP, called for a Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution) that changed the discourse of India.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with the trophy (Image credit: ICC)
Translated into the present Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is setting a new trend with his lightning bat.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Stats in U19 World Cup Final:🔴Sooryavanshi’s innings took him to a tournament tally of 439 runs in seven innings at an average of 62.71, second only to Mayes (444 runs in 74).🔴It was the highest score in an U19 World Cup final, surpassing Unmukt Chand’s unbeaten 111 for India against Australia in the 2012 final.🔴The knock is the ninth highest score in youth ODI history. South Africa’s Jorich van Schalkwyk (215 vs Zimbabwe) remains the only player to score a double century.🔴Overall, it is the sixth highest individual score in U19 World Cup history.🔴Sooryavanshi hit a record 15 sixes in a youth ODI innings, surpassing his previous record of 14 against UAE in last year’s U-19 Asia Cup.🔴His 15 sixes are the most in a single U19 World Cup innings, with only two other players managing double-digit sixes.🔴The century came off 55 balls, the second-fastest U19 World Cup hundred behind Will Malajczuk’s 51-ball century for Australia against Japan earlier in the tournament.
Slow start
Before the semi-final and final, Vaibhav’s scores were 72 (67), 40 (23), 52 (23), 30 (22). He was making starts but couldn’t convert them into big scores.
Vaibhav with his coach Manish Ojha at his residence in Patna (special arrangement)
“Cricket is a great equalizer. Even the one before me joined the company. He also comes with as much hard work as Vaibhav. (The opposition bowlers also come with a plan. They also work as hard and put in as much effort as Vaibhav),” says Vaibhav’s father.In the semi-final, his 33-ball 68 helped India chase down Afghanistan’s 311 runs in 41.1 overs.After that knock, the 14-year-old regained some confidence and called his father for the first time during the tournament.“He doesn’t talk to me until he scores big. After he did well in the semis, he talked to me,” says Sanjeev.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from India is waiting on the field
“He said, ‘Dad, I’m starting, but I’m not able to convert. Hit all the spots, this tournament has not been held yet (I’ve scored centuries everywhere but it hasn’t come here yet)’” recalls Sanjeev of the interview.“I consoled him. Even though I was already a bit impatient, I told him that his early lightning helps the team win games. Play like this and leave the rest to God. He was happy and relieved that dad wasn’t angry. He called me again after half an hour. He doesn’t call me twice. I told him again to play according to his nature,” he adds.And boy did Vaibhav play to his nature. Ask Thomas Rew’s boys who looked miserable on the ground.“Look, I can’t say the tournament didn’t go well. You could say there weren’t many big scores,” says Vaibhav’s coach.
India’s batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays a shot during the Under-19 Men’s World Cup cricket match between England and India in Harare, Zimbabwe, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Solomon Chingono)
“Vaibhav has set the bar so high that even a score of 50 or 60 doesn’t feel significant anymore. If you look closely, the 72 he scored against Bangladesh was a match-winner. Against Afghanistan in the semi-final, he scored 68 in the first 10 overs to set the tone for India and 300.“What was missing was that one big performance. But that comes with the type of player Vaibhav is. The day he gets going, there’s no stopping him. Failures and not converting starts are part of the package. Because when he finds his rhythm and is in full flow, everything becomes easy for him and the team,” he adds.
What’s next for Vaibhav?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi burst onto the scene in April last year when he hit a six off his first ball in the IPL. He soon became the youngest centurion in men’s T20s when he scored a 35-ball hundred for Rajasthan Royals against Gujarat Titans in 2013, the second fastest IPL century after Chris Gayle’s 30-ball ton.In July 2025, he scored the then fastest youth ODI century, reaching three figures in 52 balls while scoring 143 for 78 against England at Worcester. Four months later, he smashed 32 balls for India A against the UAE in the Rising Stars T20 Asia Cup, eventually making 144 off 42 balls.Sanjeev has just one piece of advice for his son, who many are predicting could become India’s youngest international cricketer after the ongoing T20 World Cup.
FILE – Vaibhav Suryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals stands during the award ceremony after his team won the Indian Premier League cricket match against Chennai Super Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)
“I always told him The more you eat, the more you stay. (The better you play, the more humble you should be). Always talk to your seniors and coaches, ask them where you can improve. Yes, you scored a big century in the U19 World Cup final, but that’s it. The goal is to play Test cricket for India.“I gave him the legacy of Sachin Tendulkar. He scored so many runs and there was never any controversy around him. The cricket world adores him,” says Sanjeev.
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Coach Manish wants his charge to dominate the Ranji Trophy now.“Bihar is in the elite this year. BCCI has also set a program for him. But his real test will be with the red ball. I am sure he will destroy the bowlers there as well,” Manish said with a laugh.