It is easy to forget that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is still only 15. The teenage sensation has already made his India debut, scored multiple IPL centuries and broken several records, yet he remains one of the youngest players in international cricket. Born just days before the 2011 World Cup final, Sooryavanshi continues to balance his rapid rise in cricket with the simple interests of a teenager.
He offered another reminder of his age on Wednesday when he shared pictures from Tokyo, Japan, where he is currently part of India’s squad for the 2026 Asian Games. The tournament marks Sooryavanshi’s first multi-national event as an Indian international cricketer.
The youngster captioned his Instagram post, “reporting from Nobita’s city 🇯🇵👋”, a playful reference to the popular Japanese animated series Doraemon. The show is particularly popular among Indian audiences and is set largely in Tokyo. Sooryavanshi also included a picture featuring Doraemon, the robotic cat from the 22nd century who travels back in time to help schoolboy Nobita Nobi.
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Cartoons are not just a source of entertainment for Sooryavanshi. The teenager has previously revealed that watching cartoons is part of his pre-match routine. During the IPL season in April, he explained that he does not overthink before games and still watches cartoons before taking the field, while keeping his focus firmly on cricket.
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His relaxed approach away from the game contrasts with the attention surrounding his performances on the field. However, Sooryavanshi is yet to feature in India’s Asian Games campaign. He did not play against Afghanistan and was also left out of the playing XI for the recent one-off T20I against Japan.
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With India’s men’s cricket campaign at the Asian Games beginning on September 28, it remains to be seen whether Sooryavanshi gets his opportunity. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has advised the youngster to remain patient and wait for his chance.
