Manchester, July 4 (IANS) Indian cricket welcomed a new record-holder on Saturday as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to represent the country in T20 Internationals. The 15-year-old was handed his maiden India cap ahead of the second T20I against England in Manchester, marking another remarkable milestone in his meteoric rise.

At just 15 years, 3 months and 7 days, the left-handed opener from Bihar surpassed Shafali Verma to become India’s youngest international debutant. His selection is the latest reward for a breakthrough year that has transformed him from a promising teenager into one of the country’s most exciting young cricketers.

Sooryavanshi forced his way into national contention with a sensational Indian Premier League campaign for Rajasthan Royals. The teenage opener amassed 776 runs in 16 matches, registering a century and five half-centuries while dominating bowling attacks with fearless strokeplay. His power-hitting also saw him eclipse Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, underlining his ability to change the course of a game within a few overs.

His extraordinary season earned unprecedented recognition as he became the first player in IPL history to claim both the Most Valuable Player and Best Emerging Player awards in the same edition.

India’s chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, had admitted that the youngster’s performances made him impossible to ignore. Highlighting his match-winning ability and composure under pressure, Agarkar had said Sooryavanshi had almost carried Rajasthan Royals during the latter stages of the tournament and described him as a genuine game-changer with a bright future. He added that the teenager had “picked himself” through the weight of his performances.

“We’ve seen what he can do, towards playoffs, almost single-handedly carried Rajasthan Royals. Not just this season, [he] had a great start, and to back it up in a competition that is as competitive and high-pressure, he’s a game-changer. We’ve got high hopes of him, and he has picked himself,” Agarkar had said while announcing the squad.

Now wearing India colours for the first time, Sooryavanshi begins the next chapter of an already extraordinary journey, with expectations high that the teenage sensation can translate his domestic and franchise success onto the international stage.

–IANS

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