‘It feels unreal’: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets emotional after receiving first India jersey

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rise to stardom has seen many memorable moments in the last one year, but perhaps none would have matched the feeling he experienced this week. The teenage batting sensation, who is preparing for his first assignment with the senior Indian team, admitted that seeing the India jersey for the first time was an emotional moment, which he had dreamt of from childhood.

The 15-year-old has been named in India’s squad for the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland and England, another big milestone in a remarkable journey that has captured the imagination of the cricketing world.

In a video shared by BCCI, Sooryavanshi opened up on what the moment meant to him and how difficult it was to process the emotions.

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The youngster revealed that representing India had always been the ultimate goal when he first started playing cricket.

“It’s difficult to express in words. The reason I first picked up a bat and started practising at a cricket ground was to one day wear the India jersey, and that dream has come true today. It feels unreal.“

‘I couldn’t stop smiling’: Sooryavanshi

Sooryavanshi said the sight of his India jersey left him overwhelmed and struggling to find the right words.

For a player who has already performed in high-pressure matches and major finals, this was a completely different experience.

“I simply cannot explain this feeling in words. It feels like a dream. The moment I saw the jersey, I was so happy. I couldn’t stop smiling. Sometimes, things happen in your life that you never even imagine, and when they do, you are unable to react. That was exactly my reaction.”

Reward for a sensational year

The India call-up comes after a series of breathtaking performances that have established Sooryavanshi as one of the country’s most exciting young talents.

He has been selected for India’s seven-match T20I tour of the United Kingdom, which includes two matches against Ireland followed by a five-match series against England starting on June 26 in Belfast.

The teenager arrives on the tour after another stunning innings for India A in the final of the recent tri-series.

Record-breaking knock in India A final

Sooryavanshi played a decisive role in India’s title-winning campaign, smashing 94 runs from just 29 deliveries in the final.

During that innings, he also rewrote the record books by reaching his half-century in only 11 balls, the fastest fifty ever recorded in List A cricket.

His explosive innings laid the foundation for India’s convincing 66-run victory in the championship match.

Big-match performer on every stage

The India A final was only the latest chapter in a growing list of match-winning performances.

Earlier this year, Sooryavanshi produced a memorable innings of 175 off 80 balls in the Under-19 World Cup final against England. His knock, featuring 15 fours and 15 sixes, remains the highest individual score in an Under-19 World Cup final.

He carried that form into IPL 2026 where he was one of the top performers for Rajasthan Royals as they reached the playoffs.

In the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he blasted 97 off just 29 balls, before following it up with another match-defining innings of 96 from 47 deliveries against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2.

Numbers that underline his talent

Across four of the biggest matches of his young career – the Under-19 World Cup final, IPL Eliminator, IPL Qualifier 2 and the India A tri-series final – Sooryavanshi has scored 462 runs from only 185 balls.

Those runs have come at an astonishing strike rate of 249.73, highlighting his ability to dominate bowling attacks even under immense pressure.

Now, with his first India jersey in hand and an international debut potentially just days away, Sooryavanshi is preparing for the next step in a journey that has already exceeded most expectations. For the teenager, however, one dream has already come true before he has even faced a ball for India.