Sachin Tendulkar's timeless advice for rising star Sooryavanshi after defeat vs GT

The cricketing world is talking about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The six strikes of this sensation are relentlessly knocking on the doors of the Indian electorate, at this point it is no longer a knock but a strong push towards a historic Indian challenge.

Amid the growing buzz around the Rajasthan Royals starSachin Tendulkar has offered some timeless advice for the youngster who continues his meteoric rise up the rankings. The cricket legend shared his thoughts after Sooryavanshi’s record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign that landed the Rajasthan Royals youngster in talks with the national team.

“I would tell him to be himself. It’s always the first time and in Test cricket he learns with age how to deal with different challenges,” Tendulkar told ESPNcricinfo at the award. “He looks like a player who is very confident and sure of what he wants to do. I wouldn’t want to play with his natural instincts because the way he sees the ball and reacts to it is special. If that signal is interrupted by putting a lot of obstacles between them and telling him more things, there would be a real challenge.”

The 15-year-old’s outstanding season, highlighted by 776 runs and a string of breathtaking six-strike displaysmaking him one of the most talked about young cricketers in the country and securing him a place in the India A team for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka.

Tendulkar further emphasized that the youngster should be allowed to express himself freely at the crease and develop other aspects of his game over time.

“I would give him the freedom to go out and bat the way he does. Yes, in time he will learn to deal with other things and other challenges of the game,” he added.

Origin of Sooryavanshi inevitably drew comparisons with Tendulkar himself, who made his debut in India as a teenager. The youngster’s remarkable IPL season ended in heartbreak when Rajasthan Royals were knocked out in Qualifier 2 by Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur on May 29, despite his scintillating 96 off 47 balls.

THE NEXT CHAPTER BEGINS

After the IPL, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will begin the next big chapter of his career (Photo Reuters)

“I’m not a selector, not just me, everyone would like to see him at some stage. I don’t know when it will happen, but an exciting talent needs encouragement. If he’s doing well, then we have to encourage him and support him, enjoy his cricket first and not put pressure on him all the time,” he added after seeing Sooryavanshi in Test cricket for India.

While the former India captain did not endorse an immediate call-up to the national team, his comments echoed the excitement surrounding a player who is widely regarded as one of the country’s brightest prospects.

The next chapter in Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise will begin with India A, after the 15-year-old earned selection for the upcoming tri-nation series in Sri Lanka from June 2026. The assignment is expected to give him valuable exposure against stronger opposition and in unfamiliar conditions and offer selectors a closer look at his readiness for higher honours.

Although the debate continues as to when he should be inducted into international cricket, Sooryavanshi’s performances have ensured that the debate is no longer whether he belongs in India’s future plans, but how soon that future will come. With Tendulkar among those advocating patience and support, the focus now shifts to how the teenage prodigy handles the next phase of his development while carrying the expectations of a cricket-mad nation.

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Published on:

31 May 2026 11:07 IST