- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi compared to Sachin Tendulkar by Kiran More
- Rajasthan Royals teenager has smashed 579 IPL 2026 runs
- India U19 star continues record breaking rise in T20 cricket
Former India selector Kiran More believes teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi possesses the same spark that once made a young Sachin Tendulkar stand out from the crowd, hailing the Rajasthan Royals prodigy as a future star capable of bringing immense pride to Indian cricket.
At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi has become one of the biggest stories of IPL 2026. The fearless left hander has lit up the tournament with audacious strokeplay, towering sixes and remarkable composure against world class bowling attacks.
Kiran More sees echoes of Tendulkar
Speaking on the sidelines of the Beyond Reach Premier League trials in Ghaziabad, More said the youngster reminds him of the first time he watched Tendulkar announce himself on the international stage.
“When I first saw Sachin Tendulkar come into the Indian team and bat against a great bowler, I knew straight away that he was something special,” More said during the BRPL trials in Ghaziabad.
“The same is with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is special. It is a good thing that we have such a player. He is going to bring great glory to the country. Let him play the way he does. He has been made and well prepared by God for this sport.”
Rajasthan Royals teenager dominates IPL 2026
Sooryavanshi’s performances this season have fully justified the growing hype around him. The Rajasthan Royals opener has hammered 579 runs in 13 IPL innings at an average of 44.53 and a stunning strike rate of 236.32.
His tally includes one century and three half centuries, while his 53 sixes are the most by an Indian player in a single IPL season.
The youngster’s dominance in T20 cricket stretches well beyond the IPL. In 31 matches, Sooryavanshi has piled up 1,280 runs at an average of 42.66 with an explosive strike rate of 217.68. He already has four T20 centuries to his name, with a highest score of 144.
Compares IPL teen sensation to Sachin after U19 heroics
His extraordinary rise was also on full display at the Under 19 World Cup earlier this year where he finished as the tournament’s second highest run scorer.
Sooryavanshi amassed 439 runs in seven matches at an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of 169.49, including one century and three fifties. His best score of 175 underlined his ability to dominate attacks from the outset.
The teenager also rewrote the record books during the competition by smashing 30 sixes, eclipsing the previous mark of 18 set by South Africa’s Dewald Brevis in 2022.
Sooryavanshi now stands as India’s leading run scorer in Under 19 ODI cricket with 1,412 runs in 25 innings at an average of 56.48 and a strike rate above 165. His record includes four centuries and seven fifties.
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Red ball cricket remains a work in progress
While his white ball numbers continue to soar, the teenager is still developing in the longer format.
In red ball cricket, Sooryavanshi has scored 207 runs in eight matches at an average of 17.25, with one half century so far.
Even so, Indian cricket appears to have unearthed another rare batting phenomenon and the comparisons with Tendulkar are only growing louder with every innings.
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