Shreyas Iyer has opened up about his interactions with young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The India captain, who has closely watched the 15-year-old left-hander over the last three months, stated that he can dominate at the highest level when he gets a regular opportunity.
Sooryavanshi has already made a rapid transition into senior international cricket after becoming the youngest player to represent India. He also featured in the 2026 Asian Games, where India beat Sri Lanka in the semi-final before defeating Pakistan in the final to retain the gold medal.
I keep Interacting With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi - Shreyas Iyer
Speaking on JioStar ahead of the West Indies T20I series, Shreyas Iyer highlighted the contrast between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s quiet personality off the field and his aggressive approach with the bat.
“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.
“He is 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.”
His time will come, because we have been playing with World Cup-winning openers - Shreyas Iyer hints at Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's axing in WI T20Is
Shreyas Iyer also acknowledged that India currently have experienced World Cup-winning openers ahead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the pecking order. However, he believes the youngster will get his opportunity and make a major impact when that time arrives. His comments hint that Vaibhav will be back on the bench in the West Indies T20Is with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma opening the innings for the side.
“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.”
Vaibhav also became the youngest Indian gold medallist in Asian Games history during India’s title-winning campaign in Japan. The teenager featured in the semi-final against Sri Lanka and the final against Pakistan.
He scored 38 off 21 balls in the semi-final against Sri Lanka. The southpaw then made 15 off nine balls against Pakistan in the final, hitting two sixes before Saim Ayub dismissed him in the third over.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Continues Rapid Rise in 2026
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his senior India debut at the age of 15 against England in Manchester on July 4. He has played eight T20Is, scoring 246 runs at an average of 30.75 and a strike rate of 186.37.
The left-hander scored 151 runs across the three matches, including two half-centuries against Zimbabwe in Harare and won the Player of the Series award during India’s 3-0 T20I series victory. However, he is yet to reproduce his best IPL form consistently at the international level.
Sooryavanshi enjoyed a remarkable IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals, scoring 776 runs in 16 innings at a stunning strike rate of 237.30. He finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer and won the Most Valuable Player award.
He also played a major role in India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph. Sooryavanshi smashed 175 off 80 balls in the final against England, helping India lift the title.
