Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has backed teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to enjoy a bright international future but believes the youngster should take inspiration from Sachin Tendulkar’s discipline, focus and mental strength as he prepares for the biggest stage.
Sooryavanshi, 15, is on the verge of creating history during India’s ongoing T20I series against Ireland. If he makes his international debut over the next couple of weeks, the left-handed batter will become the youngest player to represent India in men’s cricket, surpassing Tendulkar’s long-standing record. The batting icon made his debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16, while Sooryavanshi is in line to achieve the milestone a year earlier.
There was considerable anticipation around the teenager’s debut in the opening T20I in Belfast on Friday. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer retained the T20 World Cup-winning opening combination of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, leaving Sooryavanshi on the bench.
The comparisons with Tendulkar have only intensified since Sooryavanshi’s remarkable IPL 2026 campaign, where he amassed more than 700 runs for the Rajasthan Royals. While acknowledging the excitement surrounding the youngster, Vengsarkar urged him to follow the qualities that made Tendulkar a legend of the game.
“When I watched Sachin Tendulkar play, he looked mentally mature for his age. He did extremely well in inter-school tournaments in Mumbai, besides club cricket, where he scored consistently,” Vengsarkar told PTI.
“He was mentally prepared to play a higher level of cricket, so that is how we picked him. He was so disciplined, passionate, and focused, and that is a great example for youngsters like Vaibhav to emulate,” he added.
Although Sooryavanshi is still waiting for his maiden international appearance, Vengsarkar believes it is only a matter of time before the teenager gets his opportunity and expects him to make the most of it.
“I am sure he will get the opportunity, and once he gets it, he will grab it with both hands because he is a very good player. He is just unbelievable,” Vengsarkar said.
“He has tremendous potential. Some of the shots he plays are unreal. His batsmanship is completely different. He can clear the ground with his bat swing and hand-eye coordination. In T20 format, he has been amazing,” he added.
When asked whether Sooryavanshi possesses the qualities to become a successful Test cricketer, Vengsarkar chose to remain cautious, pointing out that the youngster has largely been judged on his exploits in the shortest format.
“It’s very difficult to say because he is currently in the T20 format. I have not seen him play in a longer format,” he said.
“But I’m sure he will do well in that, once picked. We will have to wait and see how he plays in the longer format, which is very important,” Vengsarkar added.