ZIM vs IND | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is special, manage him well: Sikandar Raza to India

Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza has urged India to carefully nurture teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying the 15-year-old has all the ingredients to become a “generational talent” if handled properly.

Speaking to JioStar ahead of the upcoming T20I series between India and Zimbabwe, Raza threw his weight behind the youngster amid the scrutiny that has accompanied his rapid rise through the ranks.

“Vaibhav is a supremely talented cricketer. If a 15-year-old kid is playing international cricket, criticising him after just two or three matches isn’t justified. I think Vaibhav has a lot of very good senior cricketers around him. If he is managed and handled well, I think Vaibhav could be a generational talent,” Raza said.

The Zimbabwe veteran also reflected on the remarkable journey that Sooryavanshi has undertaken over the last year, progressing from age-group cricket to the international stage in a short span of time.

“To see what he has done over the last year, what he has done for India Under-19, and the fact that he made his international debut at the same age, these are no small feats by any means. You don’t get to hear such stories nowadays. Vaibhav is special. It will be important how he is managed and handled,” he added.

SOORYAVANSHI’S METEORIC RISE

Sooryavanshi’s rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. Earlier this month, the left-handed batter became the youngest male cricketer to represent India in international cricket when he made his T20I debut against England at the age of 15, eclipsing Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.

The teenager had a sensational campaign in IPL 2026, where he enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with Rajasthan Royals. He scored 776 runs in 16 matches, finished as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Best Emerging Player, and broke Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single IPL season.

However, the youngster endured a difficult tour of England. He featured in three matches but managed only 42 runs at an average of 14 and a strike rate of 168. Sooryavanshi was eventually left out of the fifth T20I as India recalled Sanju Samson, who had initially made way for the teenager.

With the Zimbabwe series up next, Sooryavanshi will be eager to make the most of any opportunities that come his way. The five-match T20I series gets underway in Harare on July 23, with the second and third matches scheduled for July 25 and 26, respectively.

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