3 min readUpdated: Oct 1, 2026 07:03 AM IST
India’s teenage cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was named in TIME magazine’s TIME 100 Next, an annual list comprising global ‘rising stars who are shaping the future’.
The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi is the only Indian athlete on the coveted list, which the American publication unveiled on Wednesday. The Bihar prodigy is also the youngest person and one of only seven athletes named.
“This year’s list-makers are pushing boundaries, creating new possibilities, and advancing their fields and communities around the world,” said Time CEO Jessica Sibley.
Featuring in the ‘Phenom’ category, TIME observed that Sooryavanshi “is fast becoming one of global sport’s most electrifying figures.”
The Sooryavanshi phenomenon has gained rapid strides since 2024, when he first made his professional cricket debut at the senior level in the Ranji Trophy, aged 12. After being one of the youngest ever Indians to play First-Class cricket, Sooryavanshi was swooped up by the Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 season. Sooryavanshi set the stage on fire in the world’s most famous T20 franchise league in his maiden itself, smashing 252 runs in seven innings. It comprised a whirlwind 35-ball century against the Gujarat Titans, making it the then-fastest ton ever struck by an Indian in the IPL.
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In his second season this year, Sooryavanshi relished a full-fledged batting season with the Royals, plundering 776 runs with a century and five half-centuries to emerge as the highest run-getter. Sooryavanshi walloped 72 sixes in 16 games, bettering the previous record set by T20 icon Chris Gayle by 20 maximums.
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Shortly thereafter, Sooryavanshi made his international debut in July against England in a T20I at Manchester. The 15-year-old became the youngest male player ever to represent India, eclipsing legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.
Sooryavanshi has played six T20Is since, recording 193 with a best of 81 against Zimbabwe. He is also part of India’s Asian Games cricket team, currently in action in Japan. The dashing left-hander has also made his presence felt in another formats in just his third season of senior cricket. Sooryavanshi smashed the world record for the fastest List A half-century in June during India A’s Tri-Nation series final against Sri Lanka A in Colombo, reaching the landmark in only 11 balls.
He was subsequently named vice-captain of the victorious East Zone team in the Duleep Trophy in August.
The other athletes joining Sooryavanshi in TIME’s list are American quarterback Arch Manning, NBA star Tyrese Maxey, footballers Naomi Girma and Folarin Balogun, tennis player Alexandra Eala and basketball player Olivia Miles.
