Vaibhav Sooryavanshi shows promise but falls cheaply in Indian debut

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s long-awaited India debut ended in disappointment on the scoreboard, but the 15-year-old left enough flashes of his immense talent to suggest this is just the start of an exciting international journey. In the second T20I of the five-match series on Saturday, Sooryavanshi scored 14 runs off 9 balls with 2 sixes.

A teenager from Bihar became India’s youngest international cricketer when he came out to open alongside Abhishek Sharma in the second T20I against England at Old Trafford in Manchester, breaking the record held by Shafali Verma.

At just 15 years and 99 days, Sooryavanshi added another chapter to his remarkable rise after claiming his first India cap from Tilak Varma following an emotional dressing room speech by head coach Gautam Gambhir.

England vs India 2nd T20I: Update | Scorecard

Opening up against Jofro Archer and fellow debutant Josh Tongue was never going to be easy. Tongue repeatedly beat him with steep bounce and raw pace, while Archer also asked plenty of questions with the new ball. Sooryavanshi needed three deliveries to get off the mark and, after surviving the early fire, flicked the yorker to square leg.

However, a fearless attitude soon came to the fore, making him one of the most exciting young batsmen in India.

HOW SOORYAVANSHI ATTACKED ENGLAND’S BOWLER

His shot landed against Archer. Sooryavanshi, shuffling into a full delivery at 148km/h, got down on one knee and scooped it beautifully over leg for his maiden international six, drawing roars from the Old Trafford crowd. It was a gutsy knock against one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket and reflected the confidence of the teenager.

He carried that momentum into the next over, going back to Josh Tongue and sending a full delivery high over mid-wicket for another towering six. The clean hitting showed both his bat speed and fearless intent as India raced to a fast opening stand with Abhishek Sharma.

HOW SOORYAVANSHI GET OUT

However, international cricket quickly reminded him of his ruthless nature.

Introduced into the attack, Will Jacks outfoxed the youngster with a slower, wider delivery after teasing him with a fuller ball. Sooryavanshi darted down the pitch in search of another boundary but failed to make contact, allowing Josi Buttler to finish with a sharp stumble.

The score may not reflect the occasion, but the flashes of brilliance certainly do. Taking on Archer and Tongue without hesitation, Sooryavanshi showed exactly why India invested in him. His debut ended earlier than he would have liked, but it also served as a reminder that the fearless teenager has the talent to score much bigger scores in the years to come.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

04 Jul 2026 19:50 IST