15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played as an opener for Rajasthan Royals in their third match of IPL 2026 on Tuesday (April 7) against Mumbai Indians at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati and scored 39 runs from 14 balls in the rain-hit 11 overs per side match. During his stay at the crease, he hammered 5 sixes, two of which came off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling. After Vaibhav dominated Bumrah in the much-awaited contest, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has urged Indian selectors to hand the youngster his India cap.
“Don’t make this boy (Vaibhav) wait too long,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“Give him the Indian team cap. Imagine this boy can play 20 years of professional cricket. This is scary for bowlers,” he added.
The sheer audacity
of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 🫡
🎥 The 1️⃣5️⃣ year old welcomes Jasprit Bumrah with a maximum! 👏#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #RRvMI | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/cI0zqCXz0X
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2026
According to Pathan, the left-handed batter from Bihar is destiny’s child, and what he is doing as a 15-year-old is extraordinary.
“Sooryavanshi is a destiny’s child. What he is doing at 15 in white-ball cricket, I don’t think we have ever seen anyone do this.”
“This 15-year-old wonder kid says, ‘I am waiting for Jasprit Bumrah. ‘I got out to him last year. I will come this year and hit him. And he hit Bumrah on the very first ball.”
Pathan, who has donned the hat of an expert and commentator after his retirement from professional cricket, was impressed with Vaibhav’s approach in the 13th match of IPL 2026 and stated that the youngster forced Bumrah to change his plans.
“The way Bumrah had no visible plans, the way he moved to the slower one – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has forced even Bumrah to think. In white-ball cricket, India has not found a bowler like Bumrah; he is a GOAT. And this feat has been achieved against him,” he said.
Before making mockery of MI bowlers on Tuesday, Vaibhav impressed with his batting in RR’s first match of IPL 2026 as well, which was played against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on March 30. In that match, he opened the innings for Men in Yellow in the 128-run chase and scored 50 runs in just 15 balls.
