NEW DELHI: Long before the batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi came into the world, his father, Sanjeev Sooryavanshi, inherited a tract of ancestral land in Bihar - not merely a property, but a representation of heritage and memories. In most villages across India, land is much more than an asset. No matter how challenging life becomes, selling property, especially inherited property, is not a step many choose to take.
But for Sanjeev Sooryavanshi, nothing carried greater worth than his son's dream, not even the land passed down by his forefathers.
When Vaibhav's cricket journey called for sacrifices, Sanjeev made the hardest decision of his life. He sold the ancestral land.
Several years have gone by since that decision, and today, that dream stands realized.
"Ab sab cheez usse upar aa gaya hai. Sapna sach ho gaya hai. Ab zameen, paisa, rupiya ka koi mahatva nahi hai. Jo samman mil raha hai, desh-videsh mein naam ho raha hai, usse hum bahut khush hain. [Now everything has moved beyond that. The dream has become reality. Land and money hold no importance anymore. The respect and recognition that he is receiving in India and abroad make us very happy]was named last week," Sanjeev told TimesofIndia.com.
At just 15, Vaibhav has already secured a place for himself in Indian cricket. He is an IPL star, a key architect of India's Under-19 World Cup victory in 2026, and now a member of the senior Indian team.
The teenage batting prodigy last week named in India's squad for the T20I series against Ireland and England, becoming the youngest cricketer ever chosen for the Indian national team. The selection came on the back of a record-setting IPL 2026 campaign. Vaibhav ended as the tournament's highest run-getter with 776 runs, securing the Orange Cap. He blasted one century and five fifties at an
incredible strike rate of 237.30. His remarkable season also brought him five major honours - Emerging Player of the Season, Most Valuable Player, Orange Cap, Best Strike Rate of the Season and Most Sixes.
For Sanjeev, however, the statistics and accolades are secondary. The land may be gone, but it has been replaced by something even more valuable - pride, admiration, and the realization of a father's greatest dream: watching his son wear the India jersey.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi - The Journey The story began when Vaibhav was only four years old. Sanjeev observed his son striking a plastic ball with exceptional timing and force. What started with plastic and tennis balls gradually progressed into professional coaching at
an academy in Patna. The 90-kilometre trip from Samastipur to Patna was tiring and costly, but Sanjeev never allowed
the obstacles to stand in the way. He even purchased a car to transport his son to training sessions on alternate days - a
decision made possible through the funds generated from the sale of the ancestral land.
Today, as he stands on the brink of seeing his son represent India, Sanjeev has no second thoughts about the
sacrifice. "Koi regret nahi hai. Vaibhav jo bhi haasil kar raha hai, woh sab cheezon se bahut upar hai [I have no regrets.
Whatever Vaibhav is accomplishing is far greater than anything else]," he said.
"Bachcha bachpan se bahut mehnat kiya hai. Isi ke liye mehnat kiya tha ki desh ke liye khele. Aaj use woh
saubhagya mila hai [The boy has worked extremely hard since childhood. He has worked with the dream of playing for
the nation. Today, he has received that opportunity]," he said.
The Nervous Moment
With the excitement around his son’s India call-up, Sanjeev kept turning on the television and browsing through news
channels.
The butterflies, anxiety and sweaty palms were all there.
But as soon as the announcement arrived, everything disappeared - and what followed were celebrations, tears of joy, media
queues, and relatives and neighbours rushing to congratulate the family at the Sooryavanshi residence
“Bahut khush hain. Poora parivar khush hai, hamara gaon khush hai. Poora desh khush hai. Humare liye ye sapne
jaisa hai [We are very happy. The entire family is happy. Our village is happy. The whole country is happy. For us, it
feels like a dream],” an overjoyed Sanjeev said.
"When the news came, Vaibhav was training in Sri Lanka. He called and said, ‘Papa, I just came to know about
the selection. I’ll talk to you later.’ Everyone there was congratulating him,” the father said.
With the IPL and Under-19 World Cup behind him, and with the India A tour underway, the big question now is
whether Vaibhav will make his India debut on the tour of Ireland or England.
The youngster now stands on the edge of history. If he is picked in the playing XI, he will become India’s youngest
international cricketer, surpassing the record currently held by legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Tendulkar made his India debut at 16 years and 205 days during the 1989 tour of Pakistan. At just 15, Sooryavanshi
now has a chance to rewrite the record books.
Sanjeev and his family are now preparing to witness the big day - their son's potential debut in the UK.
"Yes, we will go to the UK. We have received the documents from the BCCI. We are going to the UK," Sanjeev said.
"Records may be broken, records may be created, but this is only the beginning. We will pray to God that he continues to
perform well and reaches that level," he said.