NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the young batting standout, has been showered with admiration for his explosive strokeplay, his composure when the match tightens, and his ability to dismantle some of the best bowling attacks in the world. The buzz around the Rajasthan Royals batter has even reached cricket’s biggest legends, with Sachin Tendulkar among those praising his talent.
Tendulkar called Sooryavanshi “truly special” and said he would love to see the youngster move into Test cricket. However, he urged that the transition should not be rushed, stressing the importance of letting the youngster develop at the right pace rather than being pulled into the longest format too quickly.
Sooryavanshi delivered a sensational IPL 2026 campaign for Rajasthan Royals, accumulating 776 runs while striking at an extraordinary rate of 237.31. His season also featured 72 sixes, a haul that not only highlighted his dominance but also set a new benchmark for the most sixes in a single IPL edition—breaking the previous record of 59, held by Chris Gayle.
Speaking about watching him bat, Tendulkar said, “Everyone is talking about Sooryavanshi, and I watched him play—it was magnificent.” He added that what stood out went beyond raw hitting ability: “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.”
Tendulkar explained that wrist control is central to scoring effectively in every direction. “To be able to play in all directions of the ground, you need good wrist work,” he said. He also noted that Sooryavanshi’s approach is not about reckless slogging: “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.”
With his performances drawing increasing attention, there has been plenty of talk about a possible India call-up for Sooryavanshi. Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara supported the idea as well, after the franchise’s defeat to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2. Sangakkara said the 15-year-old was “more than ready” for international cricket.
Tendulkar, meanwhile, reiterated his desire to see Sooryavanshi in Tests, while keeping the focus on his temperament and natural game. “I would tell him to just be himself,” he 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 further described Sooryavanshi as a batter who looks highly confident in what he wants to do. “He’s kind of a player who looks very confident, very, very sure of what he wants to do,” Tendulkar said, adding that he wouldn’t want interference with the instincts that make his batting effective. “And I would not want to play around with his natural instincts.”
Tendulkar also pointed to what could become the biggest challenge in the longer format: disrupting a batter’s rhythm. “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,” he said. “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.”
Concluding his remarks, Tendulkar said the wider cricket world would certainly want to see Sooryavanshi in Tests, while also emphasizing that the youngster should not be weighed down by constant external pressure. “Not just me, but everyone would want to see him [playing Test cricket] at some stage,” he said. “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.”
Sooryavanshi’s rising profile has also been reflected in selection discussions beyond the IPL, with him named in India’s 30-member probables list for the upcoming Asian Games. The men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games is scheduled to run from September 24 to October 3.
