Former India all-rounder Madan Lal believes 15-year-old batting prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the rare “god-gifted” temperament and ability seen in the country’s greats, and he argues the teenager should be considered for the national set-up sooner rather than later. Lal, the 1983 World Cup winner, praised Sooryavanshi’s mindset while also stressing that the next step must include longer-format cricket to truly measure up to legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Sunil Gavaskar.
Key takeaways
- Madan Lal compared Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s talent and mindset to elite Indian batting icons including Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
- Lal urged that Sooryavanshi’s pathway should include establishing himself in Test cricket, not only T20.
- Sooryavanshi was named the most valuable player of the IPL season just concluded and won the Orange Cap.
- He finished with 776 runs across 16 innings at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.30, featuring one century and five fifties.
- He broke the IPL record for most sixes in a season, surpassing Chris Gayle’s previous mark by hitting 72 maximums in IPL 2026.
- Lal warned that Sooryavanshi’s rise could lead to tough selection calls and possible exclusion of other talented players if balance is ignored.
“A God-gifted mindset” and the case for early national exposure
Speaking in an interview, Lal said Sooryavanshi’s ceiling is unusually high, pointing to the temperament he carries at such a young age. He described the teenager’s mindset as something comparable to multiple generations of top India batters, naming Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar as benchmarks for greatness. In Lal’s view, players of that calibre appear rarely, which is exactly why Sooryavanshi must be tested thoroughly to join that exclusive group.
Lal also argued that Sooryavanshi should be brought into the national team fold as early as possible. However, he added an important condition: the teenager cannot be judged solely by short-format performances. To be mentioned in the same breath as enduring legends, he must prove he can handle the demands of Test cricket as well.
Test cricket as the next proving ground
On what should come after IPL success, Lal said the teen needs to develop through longer spells of competition. He specifically suggested that matches against Ireland and India A, along with three-day fixtures, would help “groom him well” into the core of Indian cricket. The former all-rounder’s message was clear: T20 excellence is a strong start, but the step-up to the Test arena is where lasting greatness is formed.
IPL 2026 dominance and record-breaking six-hitting
Sooryavanshi’s reputation has been built on extraordinary IPL output. Lal highlighted that the young batter was awarded the most valuable player honour in the recently completed season. He topped the run charts with 776 runs from 16 innings, striking at 237.30 while maintaining an average of 48.50. His tally included one century and five fifties, which ultimately earned him the Orange Cap.
His finishing power also set records. Lal pointed out that Sooryavanshi eclipsed West Indian Chris Gayle’s earlier IPL benchmark for the most sixes in a single season. Where Gayle had set the standard at 59 maximums, Sooryavanshi smashed 72 sixes in IPL 2026 to establish a new mark.
Comparison with India’s current T20 batting core
Lal further claimed that in T20 international cricket, Sooryavanshi can be considered as good as India’s current top three batters. At the same time, he cautioned that comparisons should not become premature certainty. Lal said the other established players are already proven at that level, and Sooryavanshi must still demonstrate the same consistency and impact over time.
He also raised a selection-related concern, saying he feared “some talented players might just get dropped” because of Sooryavanshi’s emergence. In Lal’s assessment, the talent is real and the performances have been remarkable, but team balance and roles still matter. He stressed that coaches will naturally want to include a player showing that kind of game-changing ability, yet inclusion must be handled in a way that keeps confidence intact and does not disrupt the overall structure of the side.
How to groom him: patience, role clarity, and learning from time in the dressing room
On the process of taking Sooryavanshi to an even higher level, Lal said the broader question is not whether the youngster has talent, but how to shape him through a longer learning curve. He added that he would prefer to judge the batter after observing a longer version of the game—suggesting that development should be measured with patience and patience-driven exposure to varied conditions.
Lal said the key is “upgradation” and the ability to step up when the stage demands it. Once Sooryavanshi becomes part of the regular scheme of things, Lal felt it should not become a distraction to overthink where he will bat or which spot he will occupy. He framed it as a matter of combination and team planning, and said he is confident Sooryavanshi will fit in.
Finally, Lal noted that even if it becomes necessary, the teenager should be allowed to wait and learn if the situation calls for it. He described time in the dressing room as another part of the learning process—one that can help a young talent understand team dynamics, match management, and the rhythm of international cricket.
