‘Too early for him’: Sachin Tendulkar’s low-key verdict on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s leadership role at 15

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sachin Tendulkar At just 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already achieved milestones that remain a distant dream for many cricketers throughout their careers. From finishing as the top scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) season to smashing a match-winning century in the U-19 World Cup final and winning the title, the teenager has made remarkable strides in a short space of time.However, his elevation to the role of East Zone vice-captain for the Duleep Trophy did not sit well with everyone. Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is among those who feel that the youngster was handed the leadership responsibility too soon.Although Tendulkar did not publicly question the selectors’ decision at the time of the announcement, he shared his reservations during a Reddit Q&A discussion and suggested that Sooryavanshi should focus on gaining more experience in red-ball cricket before taking on such responsibilities.Responding to a fan who asked his opinion on the 15-year-old being given the leadership role, Tendulkar said, “I feel it’s too early for him to be vice-captain in the Duleep Trophy. We have to let him play more red-ball matches and take it one step at a time!”Sooryavanshi appeared in just eight red-ball matches for Bihar before being named as East Zone vice-captain Ishan Kishan. This decision meant that he was given preference over Abhimanyu Easwaran, a veteran batsman with more than 100 first-class appearances.The Eastern Zone selection committee subsequently clarified that the appointment was made with the youngster’s development in mind and should not be interpreted as a sign of pecking order in the team.Sooryavanshi also got a taste of captaincy during the tournament when Kishan was forced off the field due to injury. The teenager stepped into the lead and was involved in several important decisions on the field, including the DRS calls. Videos of him participating in these reviews also gained attention on social media.Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi has continued to strengthen his position in India’s T20I setup, although he is yet to establish himself as a regular starter. The youngster faces competition for a place in the top three from established names like Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan.

Tendulkar names favorite captains

During the same interaction, Tendulkar also reflected on his own stint as India’s captain, calling the opportunity to lead the national side a huge honour. However, he admitted that this position did not always give him complete control over team selection.Tendulkar, who made his international debut on 15 November 1989 before bringing the curtain down on his career on 16 November 2013, also spoke about the changes in the way Indian cricket has worked over the years.“It was a great honor to lead the team as captain. But I didn’t always have the freedom to pick my team all by myself. The BCCI is a much more professional organization today than it was in the 1990s. Indian cricket also went through a particularly dark phase during that period,” Tendulkar said.When asked to name his favorite captains, the former Indian skipper picked Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni, acknowledging that both had an impact on Indian cricket.“When it comes to my favorite captains, Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni would definitely top my list!!,” Tendulkar said.