15-Year-Old Sooryavanshi a "Proper Superstar," Says Graeme Smith

Sooryavanshi, aged just 15 years and 12 days, recently grabbed headlines by passing the ultimate acid test against the Mumbai Indians at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati. Facing the world's premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, Sooryavanshi showcased his fearless approach by depositing a 131.2kph delivery into the stands for a maximum.

In all, Sooryavanshi has amassed 122 runs in three IPL 2026 innings so far. "The IPL has started exactly how I expected it to, with flatter pitches and high-scoring games. As always, it's interesting to see how the old school superstars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli perform, but I think this youngster for the Rajasthan Royals, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, is the one to watch in the opening few weeks.

"He has already shown his ability to power it right from ball one. As a young man, he could become a proper superstar over the course of the tournament, and I'm really excited to see how he goes," said Smith on his blog.

Smith, who was a member of the RR side winning the inaugural IPL title in 2008, further highlighted how the tournament's robust scouting system and franchise excellence have fundamentally altered the global cricket landscape, creating a blueprint that has been instrumental in the success of South Africa's own SA20.

"Our six franchises are a huge, integral part of the growth of SA20. We were very fortunate to attract six IPL teams of high quality, and they're the most experienced franchise owners in the world.

"They are very competitive, they want to win, and they bring in a level of cricket and business excellence across the board, from coaching to medical care. The IPL franchises have brilliant scouts - the talent they find doesn't always come through the system.

"When you're trying to rebuild and grow a cricket ecosystem, to have partners like that is amazing. It's kind of impossible to compete with the IPL, but we've been fortunate that they've been very open with us, and helped us build the big blocks in the early phases," he elaborated.

While acknowledging the enduring value of the longest format, Smith felt that T20 remains the primary engine for cricket's commercial and geographical expansion. "We all love Test cricket, but T20 is the growth format. It's bringing private ownership into the game, and we're seeing the huge valuations now.

"People around the globe are taking cricket seriously; it's got a huge number of eyeballs, and it's growing in all the key markets. The interesting thing to see now, where it can go is over the next four to five years, with private ownership in the game and the 2028 Olympics coming up."

- IANS