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Next superstar after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma! Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the future of Indian cricket, says IPL chairman Arun Dhumal originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- IPL chairman Arun Dhumal calls Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Indian cricket's next big superstar.
- The 15-year-old has scored 583 runs this IPL season at a strike rate of 232.27.
- Dhumal says BCCI and Rajasthan Royals must protect his temperament through tough phases.
Indian cricket has found its next face in Sooryavanshi, says IPL chief Dhumal
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal believes Indian cricket has found its next superstar in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Sooryavanshi's IPL 2026 season reads like something from a video game. In 14 matches, he has scored 583 runs at a strike rate of 232.27. He has hit 53 sixes and 50 fours, and could break Chris Gayle's record of 59 sixes in a single IPL season.
The strokeplay has been breathtaking, but what has struck people even more is the calmness with which he plays. He is not afraid to take on big names, even world-class talent like Jasprit Bumrah, and Dhumal believes Sooryavanshi is the headline act of the next era.
"Vaibhav embodies IPL's tagline which is, 'where talent meets opportunity.' That boy is something else, isn't he?" said Dhumal in an interview with The Times of India.
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Dhumal also pointed to Sooryavanshi's record beyond the IPL as he starred for India in the Under-19 World Cup final against England. For Dhumal, that knock was proof that the IPL numbers are no fluke.
"The way the boy has matured and performed at this young age is phenomenal. Not only in the IPL, if you look at the U-19 World Cup final, he scored 175 in 80 balls and the team went on to score 411 runs. That is unheard of in U-19 cricket, that too in a World Cup final," he said.
"That augurs very well for Indian cricket per se. And that is the beauty of the IPL. It has been transformative for so many young talents during the past 18-19 years. It has transformed their lives."
MORE: '200 in T20s': Sooryavanshi aims to achieve herculean dream
Dhumal assures BCCI will handhold Sooryavanshi when the chips are down
So far, it has been a highly rewarding journey for Sooryavanshi. However, there will be lean patches in the future.
But Dhumal assured that Rajasthan Royals and the BCCI will take care of the 15-year-old as he has the foundations to come back stronger each time.
"Like any great player, he will also go through ups and downs. That is the uniqueness of sport," he said. "He will fail. He will go down. But this is what sport trains you for. You get up and give a better performance in the next game. That is very integral to preparing you for life. Life will never be a one-way street where you only rise."
What concerned Dhumal more, he said, was the mental load that comes with this kind of fame at fifteen.
"I feel the BCCI and the franchise would need to handhold him in terms of showing him the right way so that his temperament stays intact. Because sport is not only about physical skill, it is also about mental toughness," he added.
"And definitely, we will do our bit to make sure that the kind of skill set he has allows him to perform for India for many, many years to come."
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The Cricket News Opinion: Sooryavanshi should be handled with care, but not to be held back
The excitement around Sooryavanshi is completely justified. A 15-year-old scoring 583 IPL runs at a strike rate above 230 is something that makes him a generational talent.
But the history of Indian cricket is dotted with young players who arrived like comets and burned out before they got to the Test arena.
The institutions around him, the BCCI, the franchise, the coaching staff, have a responsibility that goes beyond just picking him for the next tournament.
They need to manage his workload, protect him from the media circus, and let him develop at a pace that does not sacrifice longevity for headlines. Dhumal seems to understand this, and the hope is that it shows in action, not just in words.
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