Sooryavanshi becomes youngest Indian to win international Player of the Match award
At 15 years and 121 days, teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi surpasses Sachin Tendulkar's 37-year-old record following a match-winning 81 in India's T20I series sweep against Zimbabwe.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi breaks Sachin's 37-year-old Player of the Match record
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has etched his name into cricket history by becoming the youngest Indian to win an international Player of the Match award, breaking a 37-year-old record previously held by Sachin Tendulkar.
The 15-year-old left-handed opener received the honor following his explosive 81 off 49 deliveries in the third T20I against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on July 26, 2026. His innings powered India to 192/5 before the visitors sealed a 35-run victory, restricting Zimbabwe to 157/7 and completing a 3-0 series whitewash.
At 15 years and 121 days old, Sooryavanshi eclipsed Tendulkar's long-standing mark. The legendary batsman had earned his first Player of the Match award during the second Test against England at Old Trafford in 1990 at 17 years and 112 days. Tendulkar, who made his Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989 at 16 years and 205 days, later claimed his maiden ODI Player of the Match award against Sri Lanka in Pune at 17 years and 225 days.
The Bihar-born teenager also became the youngest player in men's international cricket to win both Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards. He finished as the series' top run-scorer with 151 runs across three innings at a strike rate of 196.10, having made his senior international debut against England on July 4, 2026, at 15 years and 97 days.
Meteoric rise through professional cricket
Sooryavanshi's journey to international recognition began at age 12 when he made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar against Mumbai in January 2024. By November 2024, Rajasthan Royals had signed him for INR 1.1 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction, making him the youngest player in IPL history to secure a contract at just 13 years old.
In IPL 2025, he announced himself on the biggest domestic stage by scoring 101 off 38 balls against Gujarat Titans, becoming the youngest centurion in men's T20 cricket at 14 years and 32 days. His hundred came off just 35 deliveries, the second-fastest in IPL history.
His form reached new heights in IPL 2026, where he accumulated 776 runs in 16 matches at an extraordinary strike rate of 237.30, earning the Orange Cap, MVP award, and Emerging Player of the Season honors.
World Cup heroics precede Zimbabwe success
Before the Zimbabwe tour, Sooryavanshi had already demonstrated his prowess at the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer with 439 runs in seven matches and claimed the Player of the Tournament award. In the final against England, he smashed 175 off 80 balls to help India secure their sixth U-19 World Cup title.
The Zimbabwe series marked his return to form after a subdued tour of England. Reflecting on his achievements in Harare, Sooryavanshi said:
It felt very good. It is a dream come true for me. First man of the match and man of the series. The preparation here has been good.
The three-match T20I series between July 23 and 26 provided India with a much-needed confidence boost following recent setbacks. For Sooryavanshi, it represented another chapter in a remarkable career that continues to rewrite cricket's record books with each passing month.
