ZIM vs IND: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s mysterious celebration decoded after a historic fifty

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has finally arrived on the big international stage in sensational style. During the first T20I against Zimbabwe on Thursday, July 23, the Indian teenage sensation entered the record books by becoming the youngest batsman ever to crack a T20 International. around the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

The 15-year-old showed remarkable poise and aggression to reach his milestone in just 18 deliveries. His explosive knock included four fours and four towering sixes as he dismantled the Zimbabwe bowling attack and helped India easily chasing the target of 126 runs at the Harare Sports Club.

Sooryavanshi celebrated the moment with a special celebration that caught the attention of fans. The opener appeared to signal A with his hands immediately after reaching the landmark and then gave the dugout a double thumbs up.

The now 15-year-old has put an end to the mystery, saying the first celebration was for his father. The other, Sooryavanshi, said it was something he had discussed with Rinku Singh.

“I did this for my mother and this was also related to something Rinku bhaiya and I were talking about,” said Sooryavanshi.

Sooryavanshi also dedicated his special shot to his family, coaches and friends who stood by him through the ups and downs of his career.

I would like to dedicate this to my family and my coaches and everyone who supported me on my journey, who stood by me in good times and bad.

‘THEY TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED’

The fifty for Sooryavanshi was a welcome relief for the youngster after an indifferent start to life in the senior team. The southpaw scored 42 runs from three matches before being dropped for the last game as India lost the series 0-4.

However, back in the familiar surroundings of Harare, Sooryavanshi looked to be in the zone and back to his brilliant best.

Harare has a special place in Sooryavanshi’s heart as he scored a brilliant century in the U-19 World Cup final to help India clinch the title. The youngster said he is enjoying the atmosphere at the ground but is not ready to take anything for granted.

Sooryavanshi said he wants to remain consistent and help the team win matches.

“You could say I like the atmosphere here. There are places where you enjoy scoring and maybe this is one of them.”

But I don’t take anything for granted. I try to give my best wherever I play, contribute to the team and keep performing well,” said Sooryavanshi.

India will face Zimbabwe in the second T20I on Saturday, July 25.

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Published on:

24 Jul 2026 10:17 IST