3 min readUpdated: May 10, 2026 01:49 PM IST
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the game to succeed across formats and said he would not mind watching the 15-year-old play Test cricket in the future.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Ashwin said the youngster’s fearless approach and ability to dominate bowlers at such a young age made him one of the most exciting talents in Indian cricket.
“He is taking every bowler down. I wouldn’t mind watching him in a Test match, and I wouldn’t mind watching him in all three formats of the game. Get him onto cricket grounds, get people coming along, because he is going to entertain you,” the 39-year-old said.
Sooryavanshi has been one of the breakout stars of the season for the Rajasthan Royals. The teenager has caught the eye with his attacking batting at the top of the order, showing little fear against either pace or spin despite his limited senior-level experience.
Ashwin felt what stood out most was the conviction with which the youngster backed his natural game.
“He is leaving no stone unturned, putting every ounce of force he can into the cricket ball. The way he played, even in the U-19 World Cup final, putting everything together, he is looking like a box-office player,” he added.
While Ashwin praised the teenager’s fearless style, he also cautioned against placing too much pressure on him too early in his career. The former India off-spinner said Sooryavanshi should be allowed to enjoy this phase of his cricket without the burden of expectations.
Story continues below this ad
“There are very few windows in your cricketing career where you can absolutely enjoy your cricket, and he is only 15 years old. I think we should just let him be. There is no point asking him to do things he shouldn’t be doing at this stage of his career,” Ashwin said.
Ashwin also pointed out that the Royals already have enough experienced batters in the middle order and said the youngster should not feel responsible for carrying the batting unit on his own.
“He has experienced players like Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, and Donovan Ferreira to follow,” Ashwin said.
“He shouldn’t be the one carrying that burden. If he can give them flying starts, then with the batting line-up they have, they should be winning games like those comfortably.”
Story continues below this ad
Sooryavanshi’s rise has become one of the biggest talking points of IPL 2026, with the 15-year-old scoring 440 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 236.56.
