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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has currently been the best teenage talent in India. The southpaw used the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 as the stage to announce his arrival on the big stage, impressing fans and experts alike with his fearless batting and maturity beyond his years. This led to fast-tracking him to the India A side and later on to the senior side.
After a stunning season with Rajasthan Royals (RR), scoring 776 runs and winning the Orange Cap after finishing the tournament as the leading run scorer. The 15-year-old became the youngest-ever player to win the IPL Orange Cap; apart from that, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi nearly won every possible individual award, including the Most Valuable Player, which is the Player of the Tournament award.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 94 runs
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was recently spotted playing in the Tri-Nation series in Sri Lanka. This was a List A match, where he performed beautifully in the final, scoring 94 runs in 29 deliveries, missing out on a well-deserved century in the final against Sri Lanka A. He was previously involved in a physical altercation with some Sri Lanka A players during the group matches.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has created a name for himself at such an early stage. However, former South African great Daryll Cullinan has raised concerns about the 15-year-old's long-term fitness, saying that his powerful swing might put a strain on his body at the later stages of his career. He has a tremendous bat speed, which is generated through power hitting.
I’m in awe of this young man - Daryll Cullinan on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Cullinan fears that the youngster could suffer multiple injuries in the years ahead. He said, “I’m in awe of this young man, but what's bothering me, and no one is talking about it, is injuries? At 15, swinging a big bat, playing so much cricket, I fear for his wrists, elbows, the smaller stuff and joints. What does medical opinion say?”
Cullinan brought out the example of Sachin Tendulkar’s tennis-elbow injury in 2004, when he could not even lift the bat due to the career-threatening injury. The 15-year-old boy wonder is often compared with the ‘God of Cricket’ due to the talent he possesses. Tendulkar, despite having several injuries to his body during his 24-year-long career, had one injury he dreaded the most.
He definitely would not have been swinging so hard - Daryll Cullinan
“Remember, Sachin's career almost got cut short by a bad elbow. He definitely would not have been swinging so hard so often as Sooryavanshi,” Cullinan posted on LinkedIn after Sooryavanshi’s match-winning 94-run knock in the final of the Tri-Nation series in Dambulla.
“I think he would be on a fairly strict routine. It's the fact that he is still growing, and so too the joints, ligaments, muscles, I would presume? They will be taking strain, I can assure you. ” Cullinan wrote, replying to one of the comments.
“I know of a good few guys who picked up chronic wrist problems. The thing is, we were using lighter bats, playing far less cricket. He is still growing, which needs to be remembered. Today's training and recovery methods will help, but I do fear for his long-term future and health.”
