Rajasthan Royals Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara has expressed full confidence in teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying the 15-year-old has every ingredient needed to become a defining force in both Indian and global cricket. Sangakkara made the remarks in an interview with Sky Sports from London on 27 June, as Sooryavanshi prepares to feature in India's five-match T20I series against England starting 1 July in Durham.

Sooryavanshi's Rise to International Cricket

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is currently on his first tour with the senior Indian team, having earned his maiden call-up following a stunning IPL 2025 campaign for Rajasthan Royals (RR). He amassed 776 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30, including 72 sixes. The teenager also played a defining role in India's Under-19 World Cup triumph this year, scoring 175 in the final against England. He is currently part of the T20I series in Ireland before travelling to England for the five-game series.

What Sangakkara Said

Sangakkara was effusive in his praise, highlighting Sooryavanshi's mental composure as much as his batting talent. 'I feel Vaibhav will handle all the attention very well. At Rajasthan Royals, we pay a lot of attention to how we manage him and protect him. We keep an eye on him to make sure he stays grounded and focused,' Sangakkara said.

He added: 'He doesn't just live and breathe cricket all the time. He has space for other things. I have no doubt he will be a force for Indian cricket, world cricket, and in franchise cricket. Mentally, he is in a good place. I think he will deal with everything that comes with fame very well.'

How Rajasthan Royals First Spotted Him

Sangakkara recalled the remarkable story of how the franchise discovered Sooryavanshi. 'In 2023, our analyst Akshay sent us a text about a 12-year-old kid named Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He said the boy was incredibly talented and we needed to have a look. His coach Manish Ojha had told Vaibhav's father that the kid was ready for the big leagues at just 12,' Sangakkara recounted.

The former Sri Lanka captain described how then-RR head coach Rahul Dravid needed only five to six minutes of observation before declaring, 'We have to buy this lad.' Sangakkara himself first watched Sooryavanshi at a camp in Guwahati, where the youngster walked into a side net against Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma — with a new ball — when no one else wanted to bat. 'The sound off his bat was like a gunshot. He took on Archer and Sandeep with ease. At one point, Archer just stopped and laughed because this 14-year-old was treating him with utter disdain,' Sangakkara said.

The Wink and the 13 Sixes Promise

Sangakkara also shared a vivid anecdote from the current IPL season that encapsulates Sooryavanshi's extraordinary self-belief. Before heading out to open the batting against Lucknow Super Giants — who needed to defend 220 to stay alive in the tournament — Sooryavanshi reportedly winked at Sangakkara and said, 'Coach, don't worry. It's done.'

He then told teammates Donovan Ferreira and Lhuan-dre Pretorius: 'Listen you two, I'm going to hit 13 sixes today. After that, you just finish the job.' Sooryavanshi went on to score 93 off 38 balls, hitting 10 sixes, to power RR to victory at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. 'Donovan and Lhuan-dre thought he was joking at first. But when he reached five sixes, they started counting down because they realised he was actually going to do it. That's the kind of confidence Vaibhav has at just 15 years of age,' Sangakkara said.

What Comes Next

With the England T20I series beginning on 1 July in Durham, Sooryavanshi will face his stiffest test yet on the international stage. Sangakkara's endorsement, backed by Dravid's early conviction and a standout IPL campaign, suggests Indian cricket's next generational talent is already being carefully managed for the long haul.