Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: A Sacrifice for Sensation and Ancestral Land Surrendered by Father

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and his father Sanjeev Sooryavanshi (Imag credit: Special Arrangements) NEW DELHI: Long before batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was born, his father Sanjeev Sooryavanshi inherited a piece of ancestral land in Bihar – not just property but a symbol of roots and memories. In most villages across India, land is much more than an asset. No matter how hard life is, selling possessions, especially ancestral possessions, is not something that many venture into.But for Sanjeev Sooryavanshi, nothing was more precious than his son’s dream, not even the land he inherited from his ancestors.When Vaibhav’s cricketing journey takes its toll, Sanjeev takes the toughest decision of his life. He sold the ancestral land.Years have passed since that decision and today that dream has come true.“Now it has transcended all that. The dream has become a reality. Land and money are no longer a factor. We are very happy with the respect and recognition he is getting in India and abroad) he was appointed last week,” Sanjeev told TimesofIndia.com.At just 15, Vaibhav has already carved out a place for himself in Indian cricket. He is an IPL superstar, a key architect of India’s 2026 Under-19 World Cup triumph and now a member of the senior Indian team.The teenage batting sensation named in India’s squad for the T20I series against Ireland and England last week, becoming the youngest player ever to be selected for the Indian national side.The call-up came on the back of a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign. Vaibhav finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 776 runs and won the Orange Cap. He smashed one century and five half-centuries at an astonishing rate of 237.30. His extraordinary season also earned him five major awards – Rookie of the Season, Most Valuable Player, Orange Cap, Best Strike Rate of the Season and Most Sixes.But for Sanjeev, numbers and accolades are secondary. The ground may be gone, but in its place is something far more precious – pride, respect and the fulfillment of a father’s greatest dream: to watch his son don the India jersey.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – The JourneyThe journey began when Vaibhav was just four years old. Sanjeev noticed his son hitting the plastic ball with unusual timing and force. What started with plastic and tennis balls soon evolved into professional coaching at an academy in Patna.The ninety-kilometer journey from Samastipur to Patna was grueling and expensive, but Sanjeev never let obstacles stand in his way. He even bought a car to take his son to practice every other day – a purchase made possible by money raised from the sale of ancestral land.Today, as he stands on the verge of seeing his son represent India, Sanjeev has no thoughts of sacrifice.“There are no regrets. Whatever Vaibhav achieves is much bigger than anything else,” he said.“The boy has worked very hard since his childhood. He has worked very hard since his childhood. He has worked with the dream of playing for the country. Today he has the opportunity,” he said.Nervous momentWith his son’s phone call to India buzzing, Sanjeev kept turning on the TV and flipping through the news channels.Butterflies, nervousness and sweaty palms were there.But once the news broke, it all died down – followed by celebrations, tears of joy, queues in the media and relatives and neighbors rushing to congratulate the family at the Sooryavanshi residence.“Very happy. The whole family is happy, our village is happy. The whole country is happy. Humare liye ye sapne jaisa hai (We are very happy. The whole family is happy. Our village is happy. The whole country is happy. It’s like a dream for us),” said an elated Sanjeev.“Vaibhav was training in Sri Lanka when the news came. He called and said, ‘Dad, I’ve just heard about the selection. I’ll talk to you later.’ Everyone congratulated him,” said the father.All Eyes on Vaibhav’s ‘Dream’ DebutWith the IPL and the Under-19 World Cup behind them and the India A tour underway, the big question now is whether Vaibhav will make his India debut on the tour of Ireland or England.The young man now stands on the brink of history. If he is selected in the playing eleven, he will become the youngest international cricketer for India, breaking the record currently held by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.Tendulkar made his debut for India at the age of 16 years and 205 days during the tour of Pakistan in 1989. Sooryavanshi now has a chance to rewrite history at just 15 years old.Sanjeev and his family are now preparing to witness the big day – their son’s potential UK debut.“Yes, we will go to UK. We have received the documents from BCCI. We are going to UK,” Sanjeev said.“Records can be broken, records can be made, but this is just the beginning. We will pray to God that he continues to play and reach this level,” he said.