There is a huge clamour to fast-track 15-year-old teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into the international scene starting with a T20I debut, when the next series is around. Sooryavanshi has become the talk of the town after his exploits in the IPL 2026, playing for Rajasthan Royals while finishing the season with 776 runs at a stunning strike rate of 237.31.
During the season there were also comparisons drawn with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who made his India debut at the age of 16. Speaking at the Cricinfo Honours in Mumbai on Saturday, and in the presence of BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Tendulkar said he would like to see the youngster play Test cricket for India, but at the right time. He also added that Sooryavanshi should be allowed to play his natural game, and not bog him down with too much expectations.
“I would tell him to just be himself,” Tendulkar said. “There is always a first time. In Test cricket, along with age, he will learn how to deal with various challenges. (It’s about) having a solution-oriented mindset. Problems are always going to be there. Problems will be there till the last day of your career, till the last ball you face. The bowler is asking a question every ball. Now, what solutions do you find?
“He’s kind of a player who looks very confident, very, very sure of what he wants to do and I would not want to play around with his natural instincts.
“The way he sees the ball and the way he responds to that, if that signal is interrupted — if you put a lot of hurdles in between that by telling him multiple things — that’s where the real challenge would be. I would give him the freedom to go out and bat the way he does. Along with time, he will learn to deal with other challenges of the game.”
However, Tendulkar called for caution when asked if he would like to see Sooryavanshi playing Test cricket. A talent like him should be encouraged and supported while also not putting undue pressure about playing for India.
“When Ajit is sitting here, I better be careful what I am saying. I’m not a selector. Not just me, but everyone would want to see him (playing Test cricket) at some stage. I don’t know when that is going to happen.
“But an exciting talent needs encouragement. And if he’s doing well, then we need to encourage and support him and enjoy above all and not put pressure on him constantly, you know, he should play this, or he shouldn’t be doing this, or he should be picked in whatever squad. Leave that to the guys [selectors] who are responsible for that,” he said.
In all likelihood Sooryavanshi could make his India debut when a T20I series is around, with him already picked for a India A tri-series in Sri Lanka next month. According to a report in the PTI, the 15-year-old has been added to the 30-person longlist of men’s probables that the BCCI submitted to the Indian Olympic Association for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4
Tendulkar too admitted that the boy is “something truly special”. The legend was amazed by Sooryavanshi’s wrist work.
“Everyone is talking about Sooryavanshi, and I watched him bat — it was magnificent,” Tendulkar said. “I mean he is something truly special. And not just the ability to hit the ball, but what also fascinated me was the wrist work that he has.
“To be able to play in all directions of the ground, you need good wrist work. And he is not slogging the ball. He is just picking the line and length earlier than the rest of the guys and he is able to clear the rope comfortably.”
