South African legend is among the multiple admirers of Indian wunderkind Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who lit up the Indian Premier League 2026 with his six-studded knocks. He bagged the record for hitting the most maximums in a season, claimed the Orange Cap thanks to a tally of 776 runs, had the highest strike rate in this edition, and swept the most valuable player of the year and emerging player of the year awards.
Smith told cricket betting site Betway that Vaibhav has captured the imagination of the cricketing world. “It’s the nature of cricket where everyone just keeps being sceptical – “let’s see him do it outside of India. Let’s see him do it in international cricket.” But I’ve not seen a guy who is that consistent in power hitting against some of the best in the world,” Smith lauded the youngster.
‘’Sooryavanshi single-handedly carried the Royals. If someone around him had shown some consistency and some performance, they would definitely have reached the final. Sometimes I watch him and can’t believe he’s just whacking it in every game!’’
‘’There have been some unbelievable prospects in different formats of the game over the years, but I can’t remember a better batting prospect since T20 took off around 2007. He consistently scores all around the park – it’s not like he’s got one side that he targets. We’ve seen people attack him with the short ball and he’s had options for that, and the margin for error when bowling to him is minimal. I hope he goes to England, finds his feet quickly and shows the world what he can do on the international stage.’’
India have been trialling out Vaibhav at different levels in the recent past in order to bolster his readiness for an inevitable India cap. The boy from Bihar is scheduled to make his senior international T20I debut against Ireland at the Stormont Cricket Ground in Belfast on June 26, 2026. The 15-year-old prodigy officially received his India jersey ahead of this tour and the subsequent series in England.
“It’s an interesting selection from India, and brave for a team that’s just won a World Cup to make the big, bold calls they have. I think it’s smart – there are two years between World Cups and they’re giving their young talent the best chance to get as many games as possible before the next World Cup,” Smith said.
‘’They’re blessed with talent, but I think the selectors have shown courage and foresight. You might not win everything up front, but the plan is to be ready for two years’ time, and I think it’s food for thought for the other countries.’’
