Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a special talent, nothing should change about that: coach Virat Kohli

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s remarkable IPL season has caught the eye of some of the biggest names in Indian cricket, with Virat Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma describing the teenager as a “special talent” and advising him to continue playing the fearless brand of cricket that has brought him success.

The 15-year-old enjoyed a stunning second season in the IPLhe finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 776 runs. His performances, including a pair of scores in the 90s during Rajasthan Royals’ play-off campaign, fueled calls for a call-up to India.

Speaking to PTI, Sharma said that Sooryavanshi’s ability to master top bowling at such a young age sets him apart.

“Well, he is undoubtedly an exceptional talent. I mean, the way he played in this IPL is remarkable. The way he hit all the top-class, international and world-class bowlers is commendable and I must say he is a special talent. I really think Vaibhav is very good.”

“The type of fearless cricket he plays and the way he hit the world bowlers is commendable. The way he hit those sixes is just unbelievable, he is just brilliant for T20 cricket,” Sharma said.

Asked what advice he would give to the youngster, Sharma said that at this stage in his career, Sooryavanshi has no reason to change his approach.

“Since he is playing T20, I would say don’t change anything. Just go and play the way you play.”

“You play tremendous cricket and the way you bat, keep hitting the ball and entertaining people. When it comes to playing Test cricket, I haven’t seen enough of him to judge how mature he is, how he can change his game, how he can leave the ball off-stump or how he can swing bowl. But now I want him to continue to do that.”

But Sharma cautioned against drawing comparisons with Kohli, whom he has coached since childhood.

“I don’t believe in comparing people. What Virat has done in the last 18 years, I think it’s a very long period where he has been so consistent.”

“But when I look at Vaibhav, he looks very good, he’s a very talented lad and he’s got good character as well, which he showed in the last game. So I think he’s a great talent no doubt, but we’ve only seen him play in this format. We’ll see him play in bigger formats, maybe Test cricket or One-Day cricket.”

Sharma said Kohli’s body of work over nearly two decades has put him in a different league, while stressing that Sooryavanshi remains a promising talent whose journey is just beginning.

“Virat is a different player (from Sooryavanshi). He is a legend now. He is a great player and he has proved it by winning so many matches. No Indian has won as many matches for India as Virat and that is why he is so loved. Here we see a rising star (Sooryavanshi) and we really like to see him grow.”

The veteran coach also allayed concerns about the youngster’s fitness, saying that physical development will come with time.

“No, fitness will come. He’s still a kid and he’s got super power. That’s the great thing about him,” Sharma said.

Sooryavanshi’s rise has been one of the biggest stories of the IPL season and Sharma believes the teenager’s fearless batting should remain unchanged as he continues his development in the shortest format.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

03 Jun 2026 20:50 IST