‘He keeps asking’: Abhishek Sharma reveals what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is really like

Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Image Agency) Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s meteoric rise has made him one of the most exciting young prospects in Indian cricket, with the 15-year-old continuing to attract widespread attention after a sensational run over the past few months. His fearless approach first grabbed the headlines during IPL 2026 where he amassed 776 runs for Rajasthan Royals while taking on some of the world’s top bowlers with remarkable confidence.The teenager further boosted his credentials in India A’s tri-series final against Sri Lanka A, producing one of the most devastating innings in List A cricket. Sooryavanshi smashed 94 off just 29 deliveries to reach his fifty in just 11 balls, scoring the fastest half-century in the history of the format.These performances earned him his first call-up to the Indian senior T20I squad for the ongoing tour of Ireland, marking another major milestone in his fast-growing career. Although many expected him to make his international debut in the opening T20I, the Indian team management decided to stick with the opening pair that played a key role in the country’s triumph in the T20 World Cup 2026.Despite missing out on a place in the playing eleven, Sooryavanshi has already made a strong impression in the Indian dressing room. Opener Abhishek Sharma revealed that the team had done their best to make the youngster feel welcome and highlighted his desire to absorb as much knowledge as possible.“As a team, I think it’s our responsibility to make him comfortable. And obviously, he’s a young guy and I felt he’s very curious to play all the time. He’s just learning. He’s asking questions, so I feel like he’s got it in him where he wants to learn a lot of things, and of course it’s a dream for him too. So we’re trying our best to make him feel like he belongs in the first group,” Abhish said.India’s decision to keep Sooryavanshi on the bench came as they bolstered their established opening combination for the series opener at Stormont. However, the move did not have the desired result as Ireland successfully defended 182, restricting India to 148 with seven balls remaining to claim a 34-run victory.Abhishek Sharma provided the lone spark for India at the top of the order with a blistering 20-ball half-century, but the rest of the batting unit struggled against Ireland’s disciplined bowling attack. Shivam Dube’s 25 was the next highest contribution as India’s run chase never gained momentum, leading to another call for Sooryavanshi to make his debut in the second and final T20I.