Brett Lee does not care if Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is 15 or 18. The former Australian fast bowler dismissed the global age debate around the 15-year-old and backed him to achieve bigger things in cricket, calling him one of India’s great finds.
“He is incredible. Everyone offshore, away from India, asks the question if he’s 15. Is he 15 is probably the biggest talking point around the world. I don’t care how old he is. If he’s 15, fantastic, but if he’s 17 or 18, who cares. This kid can play cricket. He has been such a great find for India, and he’s going to go on to achieve bigger and better things.”
Brett Lee, BeerBiceps podcast, August 2026
Sooryavanshi’s 2026 has been extraordinary by any standard. He scored 175 off 80 balls in the U19 World Cup final against England in February, winning Player of the Tournament. In the IPL, he finished as the leading run-scorer with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.31, broke Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a season with 65, and hit a 36-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He then became India’s youngest men’s international debutant in July, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record, and followed it with a Player of the Series performance against Zimbabwe where he scored 151 runs across three T20Is.
Lee singles out the Eliminator knock against Cummins
Lee was particularly struck by Sooryavanshi’s 97 off 29 balls in the IPL Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 15-year-old took 31 runs off Pat Cummins across his spell, including 4, 6, 6, 6 in a single over against the Australian captain.
“He has already lit up the IPL in such a short space of time. That 97 he got, he was up against Aussie bowlers. They were bowling gas, and he was hooking them off his nose.”
Brett Lee, BeerBiceps podcast, August 2026
Cummins himself admitted after that Eliminator: “You don’t feel like you have too many options against Sooryavanshi.
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Lee also warned that the only threat to Sooryavanshi’s future is not his batting but what surrounds it.
“It won’t be his form or batting; it’ll only be his mind. He still has to be a kid. Let him be a kid and don’t put too much pressure.”
Brett Lee, BeerBiceps podcast, August 2026
That warning carries weight because talent at 15 is never the problem. The problem is what happens when a player that young is carrying an IPL franchise, answering questions about his age at every press conference, and adjusting to international tours where the dressing room treats him as an equal but the world outside still calls him a child.
Sooryavanshi has already been named vice-captain of East Zone for the 2026 Duleep Trophy starting August 23. He will open alongside Ishan Kishan. The responsibilities are piling up. Lee, who bowled at 160 kph and spent 13 years in international cricket, is not questioning Sooryavanshi’s talent. He is questioning whether everyone around him understands what protecting a 15-year-old’s mind actually requires.
Lee’s warning comes as Sooryavanshi’s responsibilities continue to grow. After his breakthrough IPL season and international debut, the 15-year-old has now been named vice-captain of East Zone for the 2026 Duleep Trophy, starting August 23, where he will open alongside Ishan Kishan. With constant attention on his age and performances, Lee’s message is that Sooryavanshi needs space to develop without carrying pressure beyond his years. The former Australia quick is not questioning his talent; he is highlighting the importance of protecting the youngster’s mind as his cricket career moves rapidly forward.
Sources:
[BeerBiceps podcast, August 2026] Brett Lee interview with Ranveer Allahbadia
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