Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals (AP Photo) AB de Villiers has issued a measured but cautionary report on the rapid rise of Rajasthan Royals teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, suggesting that while the 15-year-old’s explosiveness is extraordinary, his long-term development will depend on how he adapts to the demands of multi-format cricket.In the ‘For The Love of Cricket’ podcast hosted by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad, the former South Africa star reflected on the youngster’s potential and the challenges he may face if he moves beyond T20 cricket too soon.
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IPL 2026: Has GT Revealed SRH’s Batting? Daniel Vettori gives an honest verdictSooryavanshi has taken the IPL by storm this season, scoring 440 runs in 11 innings at an average of 40.00 and a remarkable strike rate of 236.55. His influence was underlined by a century and two half-centuries, with fearless batting against an elite bowling attack featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar attracting widespread attention and even calling for India’s T20I promotion.However, De Villiers urged caution, pointing out that the teenager’s red ball foundation is still in its early stages. In first-class cricket, Sooryavanshi managed 207 runs in eight matches and 12 innings at an average of 17.25, with a single half-century.“I don’t know how he will last, to be honest. At his age, the talent is unbelievable. But I would like to see him in other formats. He doesn’t know what’s in store for him in Test cricket yet. 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 and plays,” he said.De Villiers believes exposure to ODIs and especially Test cricket would help the youngster uncover new layers to his game, both mentally and physically, even if the path is not straightforward.“If he starts nibbling on ODIs and specifically Test cricket, he will discover a whole different area of his cricket mentally and physically. He definitely has the talent to overcome any obstacles that may come his way. But it won’t be an easy ride and it will be a rocky road. I hope he follows that path and tries to play Test cricket for his country,” he said.The teenager’s numbers at the junior and franchise levels underline why he is seen as a generational batting talent. In the recent U-19 World Cup, Sooryavanshi finished as the second highest run-scorer with 439 runs in seven matches at an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of 169.49, including a century and three fifties, with a top score of 175. He also hit 30 sixes in the tournament, surpassing Dewald 28 Brevis’s highest 202. ever in the history of the U19 World Cup.
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During his U19 ODI career, he amassed 1,412 runs in 25 innings at an average of 56.48, with a strike rate of over 165, including four centuries and seven fifties, with a best of 175.In T20 cricket overall, the 15-year-old has scored 1,105 runs in 28 matches at an average of 40.92 and a staggering strike rate of 215.39, including four hundreds and three fifties, with a top score of 144. In List A cricket, he has 353 runs from 44 in 2 innings, 1 innings in 6 strikes. fifty one and best 190.As the debate grows over whether Sooryavanshi should be quickly included in India’s T20I set-up, de Villiers’ message is clear: the talent is undeniable, but the real test will come when he steps into the longer, more demanding formats of the game.
