15! Read that again – 15! At the age of 15 years, 3 months and 7 days, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has made his international debut for the Indian cricket team. The teenager from Samastipur, Bihar, who captured the imagination of the cricket world with his outrageous hitting prowess in the Indian Premier League, was handed his debut cap in India’s second T20I match against England.
The teen sensation received his maiden India cap from Tilak Varma after an inspiring speech by Gautam Gambhir, before being embraced by his teammates in a heartwarming moment.
Many would argue that the debut was given three matches late, after the generationally talented youngster warmed the benches in 2 T20Is against Ireland and then the first T20I against England, played in Durham.
However, on Saturday, July 4, as the Indian team took on England in Manchester, the Gautam Gambhir-led team management opted to give the swashbuckling opener his first crack at the national team.
Vaibhav graduated to the senior team from the India A side following the tri-series in June. Playing in Dambulla, Vaibhav ripped into the Sri Lanka A attack in the final and tore up the record books. He smashed the fastest List A half-century – reaching the landmark in just 11 balls – and came within touching distance of equalling the fastest-ever List A hundred.
Unfortunately for him, he was dismissed on 94 off just 29 balls.
At that point, perhaps the Indian selectors had seen enough – and decided it was time to fast-track him to the national team.
YOUNGEST PLAYERS TO DEBUT FOR INDIA
At 15 years, 3 months and 7 days, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has entered Indian cricket’s record books as the youngest player ever to make an international debut for the country. The Bihar batter has overtaken Shafali Verma, who debuted in 2019 at the age of 15 years and 239 days. In men’s cricket for India, he went past Sachin Tendulkar, whose debut at 16 had stood as India’s benchmark for teenage debuts for more than three decades.
India have occasionally fast-tracked teenage cricketers before, but rarely at this age and almost never with this level of public expectation. Vaibhav’s debut also puts him comfortably ahead of some of India’s other youngest internationals. Wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel made his debut at 17 years and 152 days during India’s tour of England in 2002, while Harbhajan Singh first represented India at 17 years and 288 days.
More recent teenage debuts have come at significantly older ages. Yuvraj Singh made his ODI debut at 18 years and 124 days.
YOUNGEST MEN’S PLAYERS TO DEBUT FOR INDIA
Tests
Sachin Tendulkar: 16 years 205 days
Piyush Chawla: 17 years 75 days
Laxman Sivaramakrishnan: 17 years 118 days
Parthiv Patel: 17 years 152 days
ODIs
Sachin Tendulkar: 16 years 238 days
Maninder Singh: 17 years 222 days
Harbhajan Singh: 17 years 288 days
Parthiv Patel: 17 years 301 days
T20Is
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: 15 years 99 days
Washington Sundar: 18 years 80 days
Rishabh Pant: 19 years 120 days
Ishant Sharma: 19 years 152 days
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