‘Till he plays Tests, he isn’t a big cricketer’ – Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s father sets high bar after U19 glory

India Under-19 opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi, hailing from Samastipur, Bihar, not only silenced his critics but also announced himself on the global stage, showing that this is just the beginning of a special journey. The left-hander produced a sensational knock of 175 runs in the Under-19 World Cup final against England Under-19, smashing 15 fours and 15 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 218.75.

Following India’s title triumph, Suryavanshi’s father, Sanjeev, revealed that he could not hold back his tears after the historic victory. He advised his son to enjoy the moment with his teammates and cherish the achievement. However, he also added that he would only consider Vaibhav a truly big cricketer when he goes on to represent India in Test cricket.

“When Vaibhav called, I couldn’t hold my tears back. He was jumping in joy with other boys. I told him that I would talk to him later because it’s a memorable moment. After this, he won’t get to play in the under-19s. He should enjoy the moment,” said Sanjeev to Times of India.

“Abhi toh shuruaat hai, abhi bahut aage jaana hai (This is just the beginning, there’s a lot more to achieve). Jab tak Test na khele, kya bada cricketer (Till the time he does not play Tests, I won’t consider him a big cricketer),” he added.

Suryavanshi’s monumental innings took his tournament tally to 439 runs in seven innings at an impressive average of 62.71, earning him the Player of the Tournament award. The knock was also the highest individual score in an Under-19 World Cup final and the ninth-highest score in the history of youth ODIs. His 15 sixes in the innings are the most ever hit in a single Under-19 World Cup match.

With all his commitments for India now completed, Suryavanshi is expected to feature in IPL 2026 for the Rajasthan Royals. He has already made headlines in franchise cricket, having smashed a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025, the second-fastest hundred in the tournament’s history.

Earlier, in July 2025, he registered the fastest century in youth ODIs, reaching the milestone in just 52 balls. Four months later, he continued his remarkable run by scoring a blistering 32-ball hundred for India A against the UAE in the Asia Cup Rising Stars T20.