Former South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could go on to achieve even greater success than Indian batting icons Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, calling the youngster a “treasure for Indian cricket” and one of the most gifted players he has seen.
Steyn’s comments come on the back of Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary IPL 2026 campaign. The 15-year-old left-hander amassed 776 runs to win the Orange Cap and force his way into India’s T20I squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England.
Speaking during an interaction facilitated by SA20 ahead of Season 5, Steyn said Sooryavanshi’s talent was unlike anything he had seen among players of a similar age.
“You think of guys like Sachin, Virat, and this kid is going to explode. He’s going to be bigger than both of them put together at the end of his career,” Steyn said.
The former pace ace was equally emphatic when asked to compare Sooryavanshi with emerging talents from South Africa.
“I don’t think there’s a wonderkid who’s 14 or 15 in South Africa right now. And if there is, I’m not aware of him. I don’t have my finger on the pulse as closely as some of the local scouts do. But one thing I will say is that there is no shortage of talent in South Africa.
“We have incredible talent coming through the system. There are outstanding Under-19 and Under-15 players progressing through the school circuit.
“That said, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a different gravy. He’s better than most international players right now. He’s a genuine boy wonder and a treasure for Indian cricket.”
Sooryavanshi’s rise has been one of the biggest stories in Indian cricket over the last year. Despite his age, he has shown a maturity and range of strokeplay that have allowed him to dominate some of the world’s leading bowlers. His performances in the IPL have placed him firmly in the spotlight and generated comparisons with some of the game’s biggest names.
‘INDIA COULD LOSE SOORYAVANSHI’
Steyn, however, warned that India’s challenge now lies in managing the teenager’s development carefully.
“So I’d be very careful about how he’s managed and looked after. With great responsibility comes great reward, but there’s also a risk that you could lose him along the way if he isn’t handled properly.
“As for South Africa, no, we don’t have a 14- or 15-year-old who can rival him right now. But we do have some exceptional talent, including a lot of players in their twenties who will push through and represent South Africa in the years ahead.”
The 42-year-old said Sooryavanshi’s ability to strike the ball cleanly sets him apart from most players.
“He’s a fantastic ball striker. I’ve watched him play in India where the wickets are good. The fields are slightly smaller, just slightly. And with the wickets as good as they are, he’s exploited that really well. He’s a very good player who can do that.”
Even so, Steyn believes bowlers can still find ways to challenge the youngster. He pointed to Kagiso Rabada’s approach and suggested that testing Sooryavanshi with short-pitched bowling could prove effective.
“I think Rabada bowled at him well. You’ve got to test him upstairs and he’s still young, he’s only 14-15, and if you can throw a little bit of fear factor into the game, I mean, cricket is a fear factor game.
“If you go into the game scared, if you’re fearing somebody, not for your life, but even just fear bowling to them or fear facing them, fear can make you do silly things. So, the short ball towards him is probably a good option,” he said.
– Ends
