Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is special, manage him well: Sikandar Raza to India

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has urged India to nurture teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi carefully, saying the 15-year-old has all the ingredients to become a “generational talent” if handled properly.

Speaking to JioStar ahead of the upcoming T20I series between India and Zimbabwe, Raza threw his weight behind the youngster amid the scrutiny that has accompanied his rapid rise up the rankings.

“Vaibhav is an extremely talented cricketer. If a 15-year-old boy is playing international cricket, criticizing him after just two or three matches is not justified. I think Vaibhav has a lot of very good senior cricketers around him. If he is managed and controlled well, I think Vaibhav could be a generational talent,” Raza said.

The Zimbabwean veteran also reflected on the remarkable journey Sooryavanshi has taken over the past year, progressing from age-group cricket to the international stage in a short space of time.

Generational talent!

Ahead of the upcoming series against India, Sikandar Raza hailed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s meteoric rise in international cricket and said the youngster is destined to reach even greater heights. #WINTERinIND pic.twitter.com/UJPDDyP7GW— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 21, 2026

“To see what he has done in the last year, what he has done for India Under-19 and the fact that he made his international debut at the same age, these are no small things by any means. You don’t hear such stories today. Vaibhav is special. It will be important how he is treated and treated,” he added.

SOORYAVANSHI’S METEORIC ENTRY

Sooryavanshi’s rise was nothing short of extraordinary. Left-handed hitter earlier this month became the youngest cricketer to represent India in international cricket when he made his T20I debut against England at the age of 15, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.

The teenager had a sensational campaign in IPL 2026 where he enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with Rajasthan Royals. He scored 776 runs in 16 matches, finished as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Best Opener and broke Chris Gayle’s record for sixes in a single IPL season.

However, the youngster endured a demanding tour of England. He featured in three matches but managed only 42 runs at an average of 14 and a strike rate of 168. Sooryavanshi was eventually left out of the fifth T20I as India recalled Sanju Samson, who had initially made way for the teenager.

With the Zimbabwean series to come, Sooryavanshi will be eager to take advantage of every opportunity that comes his way. The five-match T20I series begins in Harare on July 23, with the second and third matches scheduled for July 25 and 26.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

21 Jul 2026 17:34 IST