A dream sewn in blue: Sooryavanshi was left speechless after seeing his name on India’s jersey

Indian teenage batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi said he was struggling to put his emotions into words after seeing his name on the Indian jersey for the first time, describing it as the moment a childhood dream came true.

A 15-year-old who earned his first call to India on the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland and England shared his reaction in a video released by the BCCI.

“It’s hard to put into words. The reason I first picked up a bat and started practicing on the cricket field was because one day I wore the India jersey and that dream came true today. It feels surreal,” said Sooryavanshi.

The youngster said he was smiling when he saw the jersey and was momentarily lost for words.

“I simply can’t describe the feeling in words. It feels like a dream. The moment I saw the jersey, I was so happy. I couldn’t stop smiling. Sometimes things happen in your life that you never imagine, and when they happen, you’re not able to react. That was exactly my reaction,” he added.

The India call-up marks a remarkable rise for the left-hander, whose performances over the past year have made him one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the country.

Sooryavanshi has been named in India’s squad for the seven T20Is in the UK, including two matches against Ireland and a five-match series against England starting on June 26 in Belfast.

The teenager heads into the tour after another stunning show for India A. In the final of the recent tri-series, smashed 94 off just 29 balls and broke the List A record for the fastest fifty, reaching the milestone in just 11 deliveries. His innings set India 66 runs short of the title.

This knock has added to a growing list of appearances on some of the biggest stages available to him.

Earlier this year, Sooryavanshi smashed 175 off 80 balls against England in the U-19 World Cup final, hitting 15 fours and 15 sixes as India lifted the trophy. It remains the highest individual score in an U19 World Cup final.

He carried that form into the IPL where he played a major role in Rajasthan Royals’ play-off campaign. In the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he smashed 97 off 29 balls to help RR advance. Two days later, he made 96 off 47 deliveries against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 and once again stood in the knockout match.

These performances only added to the excitement surrounding his arrival. In the Under-19 World Cup Final, IPL Eliminator, IPL Qualifier 2 and India A Tri-Series Final, Sooryavanshi scored 462 runs from 185 balls at a strike rate of 249.73.

For a player who is still only 15, the numbers are extraordinary. More importantly, many of those innings came in games carrying the weight of qualification, elimination or silverware.

Another challenge awaits in Indian colours. But before taking charge of the national team, Sooryavanshi has already experienced the moment he has dreamed of since childhood: seeing his name on the back of an Indian jersey.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

23 Jun 2026 09:30 IST