At a glance
- AB de Villiers urges Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to play Tests and ODIs
- Rajasthan Royals teenager has scored 440 IPL 2026 runs at a 236.55 strike rate
- AB de Villiers Warns Vaibhav Sooryavanshi saying red-ball cricket will challenge him mentally and physically
Former South African superstar AB de Villiers believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should challenge himself in ODI and Test cricket despite warning that success in the longer formats will demand patience resilience and major adjustments.
The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals batter has become one of the breakout stars of IPL 2026 after piling up 440 runs in 11 innings at an astonishing strike rate of 236.55.
His tally includes two centuries and two fifties while his fearless approach against elite bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar has triggered calls for an India T20I debut.
AB de Villiers Warns Vaibhav Sooryavanshi About the Demands of Test Cricket
Despite the teenager’s explosive T20 rise De Villiers believes Sooryavanshi’s cricket education should not stop with franchise cricket alone.
Speaking on the For The Love of Cricket podcast hosted by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad De Villiers admitted the youngster’s talent was extraordinary but warned that Test cricket would present a completely different examination.
“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.”
Read More: “Never Been So Fearful of a 15 Year Old” – Jamieson Reflects on Sooryavanshi Duel
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s First-Class Numbers Tell a Different Story
While Sooryavanshi has dominated white-ball cricket his red-ball numbers remain modest at this stage of his career.
The teenager has scored 207 runs in eight first-class matches at an average of 17.25 with one half-century. Those figures stand in sharp contrast to the fearless batting displays that have made him one of the most talked about players of IPL 2026.
De Villiers however believes exposure to ODI and Test cricket could help the youngster evolve into a more complete cricketer both mentally and physically.
“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,” he added.
Also Read: Cheteshwar Pujara Insists Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Should Play Test Cricket
Sooryavanshi Continues to Dominate Youth and Franchise Cricket
Even beyond the IPL the Bihar batter’s white-ball record already places him among India’s brightest young prospects.
Sooryavanshi finished as the second-highest run-scorer at this year’s Under-19 World Cup with 439 runs in seven matches including a century and three fifties. He also smashed a tournament record 30 sixes during the competition.
The youngster is currently India’s leading run-scorer in Under-19 ODIs with 1,412 runs in 25 innings at an average of 56.48.
His T20 numbers are equally staggering with 1,105 runs in 28 matches at a strike rate above 215 including four centuries. In List-A cricket he has also impressed with 353 runs in eight innings including a highest score of 190.
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