A photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at the award ceremony has gone viral, capturing a moment that symbolises an extraordinary year for Indian cricket’s youngest sensation.

As 2025 came to an end, Indian cricket found itself focused not on established superstars but on a teenager who redefined what seemed possible at his age. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, still not yet 15, was honoured with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, the country’s highest civilian award for children aged between five and 18. No cricketer had ever received this recognition before, placing him in an elite group alongside celebrated young achievers from other sports such as chess.

The award capped a year in which Sooryavanshi did far more than break records. He challenged long-held ideas about readiness, maturity and timelines in professional sport. His rise was not driven by hype alone; it was built on consistent, eye-catching performances that demanded attention. This was reflected in his unprecedented popularity, as he became the most searched Indian cricketer on Google in 2025, surpassing icons like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

His performances backed up the curiosity. In domestic List A cricket, he produced a remarkable 190 off 84 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, becoming the youngest player ever to score a century in the format. Earlier in the year, he had announced himself on the IPL stage with a stunning T20 century at just 14, followed by another match-winning innings to close the season.

Sooryavanshi’s journey has been marked by milestones: a first-class debut at 12, an IPL contract at 13, record-breaking Under-19 performances against international opponents, and match-defining knocks in youth tournaments. Indian cricket has seen prodigies before, but rarely has one player shaped an entire year’s narrative at such a young age. In 2025, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi did exactly that, leaving a lasting impression well before finishing school. (With inputs from Agencies)