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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's long-awaited India debut finally became a reality in the second T20I against England as the teenage sensation received his maiden senior cap. At just 15 years and 99 days, the Rajasthan Royals opener etched his name into Indian cricket history by becoming the youngest player ever to represent India's senior men's team, surpassing the iconic record held by Sachin Tendulkar.
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The batting legend had made his international debut at the age of 16 years against Pakistan in 1989, a milestone that stood untouched for more than three decades before Sooryavanshi rewrote the record. The youngster's debut marks another remarkable chapter in what has already been a meteoric rise through the ranks of Indian cricket.
Sooryavanshi finally gets his India debut after months of anticipation
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's selection for India's T20I squad against Ireland had already generated significant excitement, with many expecting the teenage prodigy to make his senior international debut during the two-match series. However, the youngster remained on the bench throughout as India suffered a disappointing 2-0 series defeat.
The wait continued into the ongoing T20I series against England. Although Sooryavanshi was included in the squad, he was once again left out of the playing XI for the opening match. Sanju Samson retained his place despite struggling for runs during the Ireland series, but the wicketkeeper-batter failed to make an impact again, managing just one run in the first T20I against England.
Ahead of the second T20I, India finally handed the 15-year-old his maiden senior cap. Before the toss, the entire Indian squad, coaching staff and support personnel gathered on the field for a brief cap presentation ceremony, where vice-captain Tilak Varma delivered a pep talk before presenting Sooryavanshi with his first India cap, marking a historic moment in the youngster's rapidly rising career.
Record-breaking IPL performances paved the way for India call-up
Sooryavanshi's inclusion in the Indian squad came on the back of two sensational Indian Premier League seasons that established him as one of world cricket's brightest young talents.
The left-handed opener first grabbed global attention during the 2025 IPL season when, as a 14-year-old, he smashed a breathtaking 35-ball century — the second-fastest hundred in the tournament's history. The fearless knock announced his arrival on the biggest T20 stage and showcased an extraordinary ability to dominate some of the world's best bowlers.
He elevated his game even further during the 2026 season. Representing the Rajasthan Royals, Sooryavanshi amassed 776 runs to finish as the tournament's leading run-scorer and clinch the Orange Cap. He maintained a staggering strike rate of 237.31, while also rewriting another IPL record by smashing 72 sixes in a single season, comfortably surpassing Chris Gayle's previous mark of 59 maximums.
Those remarkable performances made his national team selection inevitable, with selectors eventually rewarding the teenage sensation with a long-awaited India debut against England.
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