Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Kapil Dev Former India all-rounder Kapil Dev chose not to weigh in on the growing hype around teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying others who follow the game more closely are in a “better” position to judge the youngster’s performances.Sooryavanshi, just 15, has become one of the biggest stories of IPL 2026 with his fearless batting for Rajasthan Royals. The left-handed opener has scored 404 runs in 10 matches this season, including a stunning century and two fifties, dismantling some of the world’s best bowlers. His performances have even sparked discussions about a possible India call-up for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England later this year.The youngster’s rapid rise was a major talking point during the event, which was attended by Kapil Dev, but the 1983 World Cup-winning captain avoided a detailed assessment of the teenager.
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Shikhar Dhawan on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, life after retirement and more“I don’t know because I haven’t seen it. I’m like you people. Whatever you put on TV, I see and try to make sense of it. I watch cricket at home on TV and then judging is not right,” Kapil Dev told reporters on Sunday.Instead, the legendary all-rounder suggested that commentators and former players who follow the game closely will be more qualified to talk about Sooryavanshi’s development.“People who talk and see everyone are better. The likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri or Harsha Bhogle can make more sense than me,” he added.Despite Kapil Dev’s reluctance to comment, Sooryavanshi’s performances continue to attract widespread praise across the cricketing world. The teenager has shown remarkable confidence against elite bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins in the ongoing IPL season.His 36-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad became the second fastest hundred by an Indian in IPL history. Ahead of IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi has already made headlines through his performances in youth cricket, including a sensational 175 off 80 balls in the U19 World Cup final against England.His form has also played a major role in Rajasthan Royals’ strong campaign, with the franchise currently fourth in the points table.
