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‘No jealousy’, but India batter says he can’t compare himself to ‘unbelievable’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

The batter hails Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s incredible talent, saying there is “no comparison” with the 15-year-old sensation.

Updated on: Sep 26, 2026, 11:36:38 IST
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may not be a regular part of India’s Playing XI right now, but in two years, he has done enough to make himself a national sensation. Scratch that. Worldwide sensation. He may be the most popular 15-year-old sportsman; only Lamine Yamal has a larger following, given football's popularity. But as far as cricket goes, Sooryavanshi is right up there, with no one coming close to the rage he has become.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is all the rage. (AFP)
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is all the rage. (AFP)

Sooryavanshi has shared the dressing room with most of India’s T20 World Cup-winning cricketers. And his ascendancy means competition for others. Sanju Samson might be Sooryavanshi’s direct competition, but one of his captains, Dhruv Jurel, who has been piling the runs for India in Tests, feels the teenager’s talent makes him a cut above the rest. Asked if there is a feeling of comparison, Jurel flatly refused, saying that, at the end of the day, comparisons are only possible between two players with similar skill sets.

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“He deserves all the praise. What he does is something you can’t even dream of. A 15-year-old kid smashing everybody. It’s just WOW. Honestly, there’s no jealousy. There’s no comparison either. What is there to compare? It’s beyond comprehension. Comparisons happen when you think you can do something similar. He is too good. An unbelievable kid. We watch in awe, and he makes life easier for us as batters. In the Powerplay, he keeps smashing, and watching him, you feel that if we get a chance, we should also start hitting, because he just keeps smashing,” Jurel told Aakash Chopra on the former India opener’s podcast.

Jurel has been in red-hot form, recently finishing as India's second-highest run-scorer of the series - behind Devdutt Padikkal - and third-best overall with 173 runs, including two fifties and a hundred.

About Jurel

Jurel made his Test debut against England in Rajkot and played a breakout knock in his next match in Ranchi, helping India secure a victory and take a 3-1 lead in the five-match series. Until today, Jurel has played 12 Tests for India, scoring 651 runs with a best of 125. The wicketkeeper-batter has experience leading India A and has become a household name, his popularity increasing in the IPL with the Rajasthan Royals.

Initially, Jurel was fighting for a spot with Pant in the Test playing XI, but later the management chose to play him as a specialist batter.

  • Aditya Bhattacharya
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Aditya Bhattacharya

    Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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