'When his time comes, he is going to dominate' - Shreyas Iyer on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Shreyas Iyer has spoken warmly about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying the teenage opener will dominate Indian cricket when his opportunity arrives. Iyer made the remarks in an interview on JioStar, offering a candid assessment of the 15-year-old's character and his place in the current India setup.

Sooryavanshi was born on March 27, 2011, and is currently 15 years old. He made his India T20I debut on July 4, 2026, against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, at 15 years 99 days, becoming the youngest Indian to debut in men's T20I cricket.

"I keep interacting with Vaibhav in terms of what he does outside the field, because everyone talks to him about cricket, and we know how talented and gifted as an individual he is. So, just to talk about his lifestyle outside, that interaction, knowing about his family, what he does, what not, that excites him more because he’s more of himself when he talks about it," Iyer said, as quoted by JioStar.

What did Shreyas Iyer say about Sooryavanshi's personality and potential?

Iyer described a clear contrast between Sooryavanshi's quiet nature off the field and his aggressive approach when batting. He also acknowledged that established World Cup-winning openers currently ahead of Sooryavanshi in the selection queue deserve their place, while noting that the youngster remains part of the squad.

"And a very silent guy, but on the field, is very destructive. So, that’s like an irony when you look at him. He’s a very charming, sweet guy to interact with and good to have him around the dressing room. And I know that his time will come, because we have been playing with World Cup-winning openers right now, and they deserve the time out there and he’s still in the 15. So definitely, when his time comes, he is going to dominate Indian cricket," Iyer said.

What has Sooryavanshi achieved in cricket so far?

Sooryavanshi's performances across formats in 2026 have underlined the confidence Iyer has placed in him. In IPL 2026, he scored 776 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30 for Rajasthan Royals, finishing as the tournament's leading run-scorer and MVP.

At the 2026 Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup, Sooryavanshi scored 175 runs off 80 balls in the final against England, helping India win the tournament. He then carried that form into senior international cricket, earning Player of the Series in India's 3-0 T20I sweep over Zimbabwe between July 23 and July 26, 2026, scoring 151 runs across the three matches.