The cricketing world is talking about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenage sensation’s six-hitting prowess has been relentlessly knocking on the doors of the Indian selectors, at this point, it is no longer a knock but a forceful push toward a historic India call-up.
Amid the growing clamour around the Rajasthan Royals star, Sachin Tendulkar offered a timeless piece of advice for the youngster as he continues his meteoric rise through the ranks. The cricket legend shared his thoughts after Sooryavanshi’s record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign, which has propelled the Rajasthan Royals youngster into national-team conversations.
“I would tell him just be himself. There is always a first time, and in Test cricket, along with age, he will learn how to deal with various challenges,” said Tendulkar at the ESPNcricinfo honours. “He looks like a player who is very confident and very sure of what he wants to do. I wouldn’t want to play around with his natural instincts because the way he sees the ball and the way he responds to that is special. If that signal is interrupted by putting a lot of hurdles in between and telling him multiple things, that’s where the real challenge would be.”
The 15-year-old’s extraordinary season, highlighted by 776 runs and a string of breathtaking six-hitting displays, has made him one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the country and earned him a place in the India A squad for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka.
Tendulkar further emphasized that the youngster should be allowed to express himself freely at the crease while developing other aspects of his game over time.
“I would give him the freedom to go out and bat the way he does. Yes, along with time, he will learn to deal with other things and other challenges of the game,” he added.
Sooryavanshi’s emergence has inevitably drawn comparisons with Tendulkar himself, who made his India debut as a teenager. The youngster’s remarkable IPL season ended in heartbreak when Rajasthan Royals were knocked out in Qualifier 2 by Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur on May 29, despite his scintillating 96 off 47 balls.
NEXT CHAPTER BEGINS
“I’m not a selector, but not just me, everyone would want to see him at some stage. I don’t know when that is going to happen, but an exciting talent needs encouragement. If he’s doing well, then we need to encourage and support him, enjoy his cricket above all, and not put pressure on him constantly,” he added on seeing Sooryavanshi in Test cricket for India.
While the former India captain stopped short of endorsing an immediate national-team call-up, his comments reflected the excitement surrounding a player widely regarded as one of the country’s brightest prospects.
The next chapter of Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise will begin with India A, after the 15-year-old earned selection for the upcoming tri-nation series in Sri Lanka starting in June 2026. The assignment is expected to provide him with valuable exposure against stronger opposition and in unfamiliar conditions, offering selectors a closer look at his readiness for higher honours.
Although debate continues over when he should be introduced to international cricket, Sooryavanshi’s performances have ensured that discussion is no longer about whether he belongs in India’s future plans, but how soon that future arrives. With Tendulkar among those advocating patience and support, the focus now shifts to how the teenage prodigy handles the next stage of his development while carrying the expectations of a cricket-crazy nation.
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