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Inside Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's destructive mindset that led India to 6th U19 World Cup title: ‘Woh kisise nahi darta’

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's standout performance in the U-19 World Cup final was rooted in his fearless mentality.

Updated on: Feb 7, 2026, 06:13:18 IST
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Under-19 World Cup final wasn’t just a match-winning knock - it was a statement so loud that the post match noise practically wrote itself. The only useful way to cut through the noise was to hear from the one person who has seen this mindset long before the world began framing it as “fearless”: his father.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with the U19 World Cup. (X images)
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi with the U19 World Cup. (X images)

In a post match interaction, Vaibhav’s father didn’t sell the moment with drama. He explained the base traits that, in his view, make a teenager look unusually comfortable on a night where most crumble. And his central argument was simple: the calm you saw in the final wasn’t discovered today - it has always been there.

“Yes, since the time he started playing, he has been a mentally strong child. He doesn’t get scared of anyone at all. Not even slightly. Even as a child, he used to play good bowlers very well. Even today, he didn’t face any problem. He was playing for the country, and in the end, that approach worked for him. For us, that was enough,” Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s father, Sanjiv Sooryavanshi said.

That is a neat summary of why Vaibhav’s final innings felt different. It wasn’t just the boundary count or the speed of scoring - it was the absence of panic. Finals bring pressure in layers: the occasion, the trophy, the expectation, the fear of one mistake becoming the headline. Vaibhav, though batted like the moment, was his ally.

Sanjiv Sooryvanshi spoke more about the opener’s mindset than mechanics. For him, the defining thing isn’t technique - it is the lack of fear.

Also Read: Sachin Tendulkar goes gaga over Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Virat Kohli erupts in joy after India win U19 World Cup

He also shed light on the teen sensation’s personality and also the risk that comes with it. Sanjiv admitted that they tried to teach him the normal way of controlling an innings. Vaibhav’s response, however, reveals the instinct he trusts most.

“We used to tell him that even if you take a single or a double, that is fine too. But he would say, ‘Papa, when I can hit the ball for a six, what is the point of taking a single or a double?’,” said Sanjiv.

This shows that Vaibhav has fostered a mindset of dominance since his early days. The belief that if a bowler gives you anything hittable, you don’t negotiate. You punish. And that is exactly what the final looked like: a batter refusing to play small because the stage is big.

Sanjiv also shared that Vaibhav enjoyed the videos of Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh batting and modeled himself on them. He also gave a glimpse on the fact how his pep talk gave Vaibhav the assurance to go out with confidence and deliver his best on the big day.

  • Probuddha Bhattacharjee
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Probuddha Bhattacharjee

    Probuddha Bhattacharjee is a sports writer and analyst with expertise spanning cricket, football, and multi-sport events, with a strong emphasis on data-driven journalism and tactical storytelling. He currently focuses on international cricket, the Indian Premier League, global tournaments, and emerging trends shaping modern sport, blending advanced statistics with strong narrative context to explain performance, strategy, and decision-making. His work aims to bridge the gap between numbers and storytelling, helping readers understand not just what happened on the field, but the tactical and structural reasons behind it. Trained in data journalism through the Google News Initiative (GNI) Data Journalism Lab, Probuddha works extensively with ball-by-ball datasets, performance metrics, and trend-based modelling to produce evidence-backed reports, explainers, and long-form features. His analytical approach focuses not only on outcomes but also on process—selection strategies, phase-wise tactics, workload management, and the influence of preparation and planning on match results. He is particularly interested in how statistical patterns reshape conventional cricketing narratives and provide clearer tactical insight for modern audiences. Beyond cricket, Probuddha has written analytical and news-driven pieces on football and other major sporting events, with a growing interest in sports governance, scheduling dynamics, and the economics of elite competitions. He also tracks how rule changes, franchise structures, and broadcast pressures influence the evolution of contemporary sport. He has previously contributed to platforms such as OneCricket, Sportskeeda, and CrickTracker, and continues to specialise in analytical storytelling, live coverage, and audience-focused reporting. His work prioritises clarity, context, and credibility, while consistently exploring innovative ways to present data through accessible narratives and structured match analysis.Read More

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