‘Ek Bihari, sab pe bhari’: After record-breaking IPL season, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets his India moment

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (BCCI/IPL Photo) Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s childhood coach Manish Ojha describes his charge as a “child of God” and credits fate and divine guidance for bringing the youngster to his academy.“A few years ago, I thanked Vaibhav’s father (Sanjeev Sooryavanshi) for bringing me the child. Ispe bhagwaan ka haath hai (He is God’s child). I got recognition because of him, else who will give two cents about a cricket coach in Bihar?” said an emotional Manish 15-year-old Manish to his girl. for the Ireland v England series. “Sab Bhagwaan ki kripa hai (God has been kind). The child is extremely talented and has worked hard. Credit goes to his father as well,” he says.The 15-year-old from Bihar will now don the blue jersey in the sensational IPL 2026 campaign. “When we talk about Bihar, we always talk about our past, from the Maurya Empire, the Gupta Empire, Buddhism, Jainism, Mahatma Gandhi’s Champaran Yatra or the JP movement. In modern times, it has often been in the news for all those notorious things. This teenager is not only hitting sixes, but also breaking the stigma attached to the ‘Biharchin’ park Virat Kohli tells Vaibhav: ‘Ek Bihari, sab pe bhari, game phir khatam.’ What Vaibhav has managed to achieve in the last few months is phenomenal,” says Ojha.Sooryavanshi smashed 776 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30. He also hit a record 72 sixes during the season, narrowly missing out on the fastest century in IPL history.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi bagged the orange cap in IPL 2026. (Photo by BCCI/IPL)

“He is a big match player. We saw that in the IPL playoffs. He played a thrilling knock again in the U19 World Cup final. The selection is a great call to pick him. And that is just the beginning. He will achieve much more,” says Ojha.Ojha says his charge is a “quick learner”. According to him, preparation before every match helps Sooryavanshi to play his aggressive brand of cricket and face the best bowlers without fear.“He prepares in his own way. It’s not that he sits with video analysts, but he does his homework,” says Ojha.This conscientious approach and unshakable temperament led the selectors to name the explosive Sooryavanshi in the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England. Sooryavanshi has not only caught the attention of greats like Tendulkar and Kohli, but India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill has also been effusive in his praise of the teenager. In an almost solo effort, Sooryavanshi almost took Rajasthan Royals to the final of IPL 2026. He smashed a 29-ball 97 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator and then followed it up with a 47-ball 96 against Gill’s Gujarat Titans.“I think he’s had a remarkable season. I haven’t seen anybody bat the way he’s batting and in this format he’s probably one of the best batsmen in the world right now,” Gill said after Qualifier 2 in Mullanpur.“His batting is remarkable to watch, not just his hitting, but his biomechanics and hand speed. He didn’t get off the flyer in Qualifier 2, but the way he was able to get back into the game and keep putting us under pressure tells you what kind of mindset he has. I think the opposition he plays against will have a tough time against him in the years to come,” Gill said.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)

But with all praise comes responsibility and scrutiny. Questions have already been raised as to whether he can succeed in Test cricket. Even his father set high goals for his son.

Do you believe that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the next big star of Indian cricket?

“Jab tak Test na khele, kya bada cricketer (Until he plays Tests, I won’t consider him a great cricketer),” Sanjeev told this website after Sooryavanshi’s heroics in the U-19 World Cup.But for now, we’re focused on the next step of the journey, which is moving at a breathtaking pace. From a small town in Bihar to an IPL superstar and now an India call-up at just 15, Sooryavanshi has already defied expectations. The challenge ahead will be to turn extraordinary promise into sustained greatness, but if his coach is to be believed, this is just the beginning of a much bigger story.