Dream stitched in blue: Sooryavanshi speechless after seeing his name on India jersey
India's teenage batting star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi said he was left overwhelmed after seeing his name on an India jersey for the first time, calling it the fulfilment of a dream he had cherished since he first picked up a cricket bat.
India's teenage batting star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi said he was struggling to put his emotions into words after seeing his name on an India jersey for the first time, describing it as the moment a childhood dream became reality.
The 15-year-old, who has earned his maiden India call-up for the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland and England, shared his reaction in a video posted by the BCCI.
"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," Sooryavanshi said.
The youngster said the sight of the jersey left him smiling and momentarily lost for words.
"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," he added.
The India call-up caps a remarkable rise for the left-hander, whose performances over the past year have turned him into one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the country.
Sooryavanshi has been named in India's squad for seven T20Is in the United Kingdom, comprising two matches against Ireland and a five-match series against England that begins on June 26 in Belfast.
The teenager heads into the tour after another stunning display for India A. In the final of the recent tri-series, he smashed 94 off just 29 balls and broke the List A record for the fastest fifty, reaching the milestone in only 11 deliveries. His innings set up India's 66-run victory in the title clash.
That knock added to a growing list of performances delivered on some of the biggest stages available to him.
Earlier this year, Sooryavanshi hammered 175 off 80 balls against England in the Under-19 World Cup final, striking 15 fours and 15 sixes as India lifted the trophy. It remains the highest individual score in an Under-19 World Cup final.
He carried that form into the IPL, where he played a leading role in Rajasthan Royals' playoff campaign. In the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he blasted 97 off 29 balls to help RR advance. Two days later, he struck 96 off 47 deliveries against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, once again standing tall in a knockout match.
Those performances have only strengthened the excitement around his emergence. Across the Under-19 World Cup final, the IPL Eliminator, IPL Qualifier 2 and the India A tri-series final, Sooryavanshi has scored 462 runs from 185 balls at a strike rate of 249.73.
For a player still only 15, the numbers are extraordinary. More significantly, many of those innings have come in matches carrying the weight of qualification, elimination or silverware.
The next challenge awaits in Indian colours. But before he takes guard for the national team, Sooryavanshi has already experienced a moment he had dreamt about since childhood: seeing his name on the back of an India jersey.
India's teenage batting star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi said he was struggling to put his emotions into words after seeing his name on an India jersey for the first time, describing it as the moment a childhood dream became reality.
The 15-year-old, who has earned his maiden India call-up for the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland and England, shared his reaction in a video posted by the BCCI.
"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," Sooryavanshi said.
The youngster said the sight of the jersey left him smiling and momentarily lost for words.
"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," he added.
The India call-up caps a remarkable rise for the left-hander, whose performances over the past year have turned him into one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the country.
Sooryavanshi has been named in India's squad for seven T20Is in the United Kingdom, comprising two matches against Ireland and a five-match series against England that begins on June 26 in Belfast.
The teenager heads into the tour after another stunning display for India A. In the final of the recent tri-series, he smashed 94 off just 29 balls and broke the List A record for the fastest fifty, reaching the milestone in only 11 deliveries. His innings set up India's 66-run victory in the title clash.
That knock added to a growing list of performances delivered on some of the biggest stages available to him.
Earlier this year, Sooryavanshi hammered 175 off 80 balls against England in the Under-19 World Cup final, striking 15 fours and 15 sixes as India lifted the trophy. It remains the highest individual score in an Under-19 World Cup final.
He carried that form into the IPL, where he played a leading role in Rajasthan Royals' playoff campaign. In the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he blasted 97 off 29 balls to help RR advance. Two days later, he struck 96 off 47 deliveries against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, once again standing tall in a knockout match.
Those performances have only strengthened the excitement around his emergence. Across the Under-19 World Cup final, the IPL Eliminator, IPL Qualifier 2 and the India A tri-series final, Sooryavanshi has scored 462 runs from 185 balls at a strike rate of 249.73.
For a player still only 15, the numbers are extraordinary. More significantly, many of those innings have come in matches carrying the weight of qualification, elimination or silverware.
The next challenge awaits in Indian colours. But before he takes guard for the national team, Sooryavanshi has already experienced a moment he had dreamt about since childhood: seeing his name on the back of an India jersey.
