Kapil Dev Namedrops Sachin Tendulkar In Big Verdict On Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sends Warning: "Too Young"
Legendary India captain Kapil Dev has made his thoughts clear on 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
- Legendary India captain Kapil Dev said that it's too early to judge 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- "He is a 16-year-old kid and everything he has is cricket. Once he reaches 20-22, we will judge," Kapil said
- "No doubt his talent is extraordinary. He is like Sachin at age of 16 but can he play that long?" he warned
At just 15 years old, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is fast becoming the most talked about cricketer on the planet. Sooryavanshi has set records in every tournament he has played, with the hype reaching its peak during IPL 2026, where he bagged both the Orange Cap (most runs) and the 'Most Valuable Player' (MVP) award. Ahead of his potential senior India debut, India's 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has given his verdict on the 15-year-old. Calling him a special talent, Kapil also warned that he should not be judged at such a young age.
"Vaibhav is too young. But yes he is a special talent and full stop," Kapil Dev said, in an interview with The Indian Express.
"He is a 16-year-old kid and everything he has is only cricket. Once he reaches 20-22, we will judge. But no doubt his talent is extraordinary. He is like Sachin at the age of 16 but can he play that long? He had to go a long way," Kapil added.
This is not the first time that Kapil has called for patience when it comes to piling expectations and judgments on the 15-year-old sensation.
"There's nothing wrong with giving respect to the young kid, but expecting too much at this stage would be wrong; he has just been included in the team. He will understand that club cricket is totally different from playing for your country, it's a different thought process so give him time, don't start expecting too much, just give him time," he had said on Sooryavanshi earlier this month, to PTI.
Sooryavanshi grabbed headlines with yet another breathtaking innings for India A in the recently-concluded Tri-Nation A series in Sri Lanka. Sooryavanshi smashed 94 runs off just 29 balls in the final, including a List A record 11-ball half-century, to propel India A to victory.
The 15-year-old could be in line to make his debut for Team India during their T20I tour of Ireland and England.
India Cricket Team
Sachin Tendulkar