India's teenage cricket star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is another major name on TIME magazine's TIME100 Next 2026 list, which names rising figures who will change the game in different fields. The 15-year-old cricketer is the only Indian athlete on the list.
Sooryavanshi’s inclusion is another significant step in a very rapid rise through professional cricket. The Bihar-born batter has attracted considerable attention since making his senior-level debut at an unusually young age. His development both at a domestic and a franchise level has made him one of India’s most eagerly awaited young athletes.
TIME100 Next features emerging figures from all over the world in sports, entertainment, business, science, culture and various other fields. The 2026 edition has seven athletes with Sooryavanshi representing India.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Rapid Rise
The Sooryavanshi story was at the center of the conversation in 2024 when he made his first-class debut for Bihar in the Ranji Trophy at 13 years of age. That he came early into senior cricket was also one of the youngest players to attain that level in Indian cricket.
Sooryavanshi was so fast to make it to the senior level that he didn’t have to take years in age-group cricket before coming to the senior level of the game; he was playing against local cricketers in the first place. His performances and fearless batting style made him famous.
His rise increased during franchise cricket, where he was exposed to a large audience as well. Despite his age, his ability to handle high-pressure situations became the center of the attention of his career.
The young batter's inclusion in TIME100 Next is one more recognition of that trajectory. And it also puts his name alongside emerging personalities from different parts of the world who have been featured by TIME as figures to watch.
Youngest Person on the List
Sooryavanshi is the youngest person in the TIME100 Next to be selected in 2026, at age 15. His inclusion is particularly significant since the list spans a wide range of professions and disciplines as opposed to being just sports-based.
The recognition highlights the international attention that his cricket career has received while he remains at the beginning of his senior career. It also reflects the growing global interest in young cricketing talent emerging from India.
TIME CEO Jessica Sibley referred to the 2026 list makers as those who are pushing boundaries, creating new possibilities and advancing their respective fields and communities around the world.
Sooryavanshi being included in such a global list at 15 is a big achievement beyond cricket.
Only Indian Athlete in TIME100 Next 2026
Sooryavanshi is the only Indian athlete included in this year’s edition of TIME100 Next. His selection places Indian cricket among the global sporting stories highlighted by the publication.
The recognition also adds to the growing list of milestones achieved by the teenager since his entry into professional cricket. His journey from domestic cricket in Bihar to international recognition has taken a relatively short period.
As he goes from a young prospect to a veteran player for Indian cricket fans, this development will be watched closely. Professional cricket is very different from age-group cricket and continued development and consistency will be critically important in his journey.
A New Chapter in Sooryavanshi's Career
While TIME100 Next is a great achievement, Sooryavanshi’s cricket career is only a little part of it. At 15, he has quite a long time to hone his skills, physical strength and understanding of the demands of senior cricket.
His early success has already generated high expectations, but how he will progress will depend on how he handles the challenges of playing consistently at the highest level.
However, TIME recognition is another sign of how fast his profile has grown. From being one of the youngest players to make it into India’s senior domestic cricket system to international attention, Sooryavanshi has been able to progress so rapidly.
His inclusion in TIME100 Next 2026 now gives the teenage cricketer another distinction to add to his growing list of achievements. Sooryavanshi is the only Indian athlete and the youngest person on the list and also one of the young sporting figures drawing international attention.
