Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers believes that pushing 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals batting prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into ODI and Test cricket could help the teenager uncover a “whole different area” of his game—yet he also warned that the journey won’t be smooth. De Villiers described it as a “rocky road,” stressing that the youngster’s mindset and technique may need to evolve as he steps into formats that demand far more patience, adjustment, and endurance than T20.
Sooryavanshi has already seized attention in the ongoing IPL with fearless, high-impact strokeplay. Across 11 innings, he has scored 440 runs at an average of 40.00 and a strike rate of 236.55, including two centuries and two fifties. His ability to take on elite pace attacks has sparked fresh speculation about a possible fast-track into the Indian T20I setup, especially after he delivered audacious performances against top-class fast bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and others.
Despite the early promise in the IPL, his first-class record has not been as extensive or as commanding so far. In eight matches and 12 innings, he has managed 207 runs at an average of 17.25, with just one fifty to his name—an indicator of how much he still has to prove in the longer format. De Villiers, speaking on the For The Love of Cricket podcast hosted by England pace great Stuart Broad, pointed to that gap while highlighting Sooryavanshi’s obvious talent at a young age.
De Villiers said that while the batter’s current skills are impressive for his age, he has yet to fully understand what Test cricket will demand. He argued that unless a strong support structure guides the teenager, there could be major changes in his approach and preparation. In De Villiers’ view, steering him toward a T20-only pathway for the rest of his career could be limiting, whereas broadening his experience across formats could extend his success. He said: “I do not know how he is going to last, to be honest. At his age, the talent is incredible. But I would like to see him in other formats. In Test cricket, he doesn’t yet know what he is in for. A lot of things will change unless someone, who is a really good manager, tells him to be a T20 specialist for the rest of his life. If that’s all he plays, it’ll be a very long and successful career.”
He reiterated that his preference is for Sooryavanshi to take on Tests and ODIs so he can better understand his strengths and the areas he needs to refine. De Villiers added: “If he does start nibbling around with ODIs and, in particular, Test cricket, he will discover a whole different area of his cricket mentally and physically. He definitely has the talent to overcome all the obstacles that may come his way. But it will not be an easy ride, and it will be a rocky road. I hope he goes that route and tries to play Test cricket for his country.”
Sooryavanshi’s case for multi-format development is strengthened by his record in youth cricket this year. At the U19 World Cup, he finished as the second-highest run-scorer with 439 runs in seven matches, striking at 169.49 and averaging 62.71. His tournament haul included a century and three fifties, with a best score of 175. He also struck 30 sixes, a competition record, surpassing South Africa’s Dewald Brevis who had hit 18 in the 2022 edition by a wide margin. In fact, Sooryavanshi now holds the U19 World Cup record for the most sixes in the tournament’s history.
His U19 dominance extends beyond the World Cup as well. He is India’s leading run-getter in U19 ODIs, having accumulated 1,412 runs in 25 innings at an average of 56.48, with a strike rate of over 165. His run tally includes four centuries and seven fifties, and he has a best score of 175.
In limited-overs cricket, the 15-year-old has continued to impose himself. In 28 T20 matches, he has scored 1,105 runs at an average of 40.92 and a strike rate of 215.39, with four centuries and three fifties. His highest T20 score is 144. In List A cricket, he has also made an impact, producing 353 runs in eight innings at an average of 44.12 and a strike rate of 164.95. That output features one century and one fifty, with a top score of 190.
