Sooryavanshi Turns Dravid Advice into Bumrah Masterclass

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may be a shy, soft-spoken 15-year-old, but his remarkable mental toughness has already caught the attention of world cricket, with Rahul Dravid and Sanju Samson first noticing it ahead of his IPL debut last season and Jasprit Bumrah witnessing it firsthand in Guwahati; recalling a moment from the Board of Control for Cricket in India annual awards, Samson said Dravid had called the youngster in on the eve of Rajasthan Royals’ clash against Lucknow Super Giants—soon after his ₹1.1 crore signing in the December 2024 auction—to check his mindset, stressing the need to guide the teenager while preparing him for the big stage.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fearless mindset was evident when he told Rahul Dravid without hesitation that if the first ball was in his zone, he would hit it for a big shot—a bold claim he backed up on debut by smashing Shardul Thakur for a six off his very first delivery; far from being a one-off, that same audacity resurfaced in Guwahati, where Jasprit Bumrah got a firsthand taste of the teenager’s confidence during an intense five-ball exchange in the rain-curtailed clash at Barsapara Stadium, underlining the youngster’s rare blend of self-belief and composure on the big stage.

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Sooryavanshi backs bold words with fearless strokeplay against Bumrah

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showcased his fearless approach early on, telling Rahul Dravid he would attack if the first ball was in his zone—a statement that reflected his bold mindset and didn’t take long to prove, as he smashed Shardul Thakur for a six off the very first delivery he faced on debut; that same confidence was evident again on Tuesday night in Guwahati, where Jasprit Bumrah experienced the teenager’s audacity firsthand during a brief but intense five-ball exchange in the rain-affected clash at Barsapara Stadium, further underlining his reputation as a rising player unafraid of taking on the very best.

The much-awaited clash nearly happened last year when Rajasthan Royals faced Mumbai Indians soon after Sooryavanshi’s 101 against Gujarat Titans, but he fell before taking on Jasprit Bumrah; rain again threatened to spoil the moment in Guwahati, reducing the match to 11 overs, yet after Yashasvi Jaiswal attacked Deepak Chahar early, Bumrah finally faced the teenager, who seized the moment by flicking a rare loose delivery for six and continuing to play with confidence.

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