Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s calendar is not slowing down anytime soon. Just weeks before IPL 2026 begins, the 14-year-old is likely to feature in the DY Patil T20 tournament in Navi Mumbai, one of the most competitive corporate T20 events in the country.
As per Cricbuzz’s sources close to the player and the organisers have indicated that talks are in the final stages, and the chances of Suryavanshi playing in the tournament are very high. The competition starts on February 23 and usually sees a mix of domestic and international players, especially with it being held right before the IPL season. International pedigree names players often play the tournament, as it provides a high-scoring environment that enables players to get in the IPL mood quickly. Last year, both Krunal Pandya and Hardik Pandya were seen playing the tournament. So did Shivam Dube, Nehal Wadhera, Deepak Chahar and many others.
U19 World Cup hero set for new heights
Suryavanshi is coming off a memorable Under-19 World Cup campaign. In the final, he smashed 175 off 80 balls to help India defeat England by 100 runs. He was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series. His fearless style has already earned comparisons with some of the greats of the game, with former England player Mark Butcher comparing his style of batting to that of Sir Gary Sobers.
Since returning from South Africa, Suryavanshi has not taken a break. Instead of heading home, he joined the Rajasthan Royals (RR) camp in Talegaon near Nagpur to begin preparations for IPL 2026. The camp runs until February 21, after which he is expected to travel briefly to Patna and his hometown for a scheduled felicitation event before possibly heading to Mumbai for the DY Patil tournament.
With a mind-boggling strike rate of 169.50 in the 50-over U19 World Cup, Suryavanshi pummelling the opposition bowlers with ease. He already started his IPL career with a six off Shardul Thakur as well before becoming the fastest Indian to record a century (in 35 balls) last year. So, clearly, his talent belies his age. His game belies his age. His appetite to dominate bowlers on every occasion is just surreal to watch.
Cricket
Sanju Samson makes T20 World Cup debut after 11 years, spends 11 minutes at crease
