Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, named youngest on TIME100 Next list

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old Indian cricket prodigy from Bihar, has been named on TIME magazine's 2026 TIME100 Next list as the youngest person featured and the only Indian athlete among seven athletes selected. The list identifies 100 emerging talents expected to influence their respective fields across sport, entertainment, politics, and business.

Sooryavanshi's rapid ascent in professional cricket began when the Rajasthan Royals selected him at the 2024 IPL auction at age 13, making him the youngest player ever purchased at an IPL auction. He made his IPL debut in 2025 at age 14 years and 23 days, becoming the youngest player to debut in the league. In April 2025, he scored the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history—a 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans—surpassing Yusuf Pathan's previous record. In his debut IPL season, he accumulated 252 runs across seven matches. During the 2026 IPL season, his performances intensified: he became the Orange Cap winner with 776 runs from 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30, and hit 72 sixes, surpassing Chris Gayle's previous record by 20 maximums.

International recognition followed his domestic success. In July 2026, Sooryavanshi made his T20I debut against England, becoming India's youngest-ever male senior international player, eclipsing Sachin Tendulkar's longstanding record. He has since appeared in six T20Is, recording 193 runs with a best score of 81 against Zimbabwe. In June 2026, he set the world record for the fastest List A half-century in 11 balls during India A's Tri-Nation series final in Colombo. Earlier in 2026, he led India to the Under-19 World Cup title, finishing as the tournament's highest run-getter with 439 runs across seven matches and scoring 175 runs off 80 deliveries in the final. He was subsequently named vice-captain of the East Zone team that won the 2026 Duleep Trophy.

TIME Magazine noted that Sooryavanshi "is fast becoming one of global sport's most electrifying figures." The left-handed batsman, who has demonstrated both explosive power and composure in his play, has stated: "For whatever duration I am on the ground, as long as I dominate and play, I can snatch the match from opponents' hands." Other athletes featured on the 2026 TIME100 Next list include American football quarterback Arch Manning, NBA stars Tyrese Maxey and Olivia Miles, footballers Naomi Girma and Folarin Balogun, and tennis player Alexandra Eala.