Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Sent 'Vinod Kambli, Prithvi Shaw' Warning: "They Fall Off The Wagon"
At 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has reached the biggest stage in international cricket: playing for the national team
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi debuted for India at 15, breaking Tendulkar's record as youngest player
- Robin Uthappa emphasized protecting Sooryavanshi to maintain his long-term cricket career
- "We saw Vinod Kambli and Prithvi Shaw. And then suddenly they fall off the wagon," Uthappa said
At 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has reached the biggest stage in international cricket: playing for the national team. What started as a boy wonder phenomenon matured into becoming the IPL's top scorer in 2026. Sooryavanshi then went on to break Sachin Tendulkar's record as the youngest India debutant in men's cricket. By his fourth match, Sooryavanshi had also scored his first international half-century during the Zimbabwe tour. It's all happening too fast for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and it can be quite dizzying.
Former India star Robin Uthappa suggested the need to protect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
"He could have a bigger impact on white-ball cricket than Tendulkar. But how he's managed is going to be important. We've seen exciting players come through the ranks in Indian cricket before. We saw Vinod Kambli and Prithvi Shaw, and people started asking what they would become when they were 17-18 years old. What are they going to become? And then suddenly they fall off the wagon," Uthappa said on a YouTube channel.
"That will be Vaibhav's first test, so to speak. Can he stay pristine for the game over a period of five years? He's 15 now, so can he stay pristine till he's 20? There are enough people to take care of him, and he should focus on the game itself. When we listen to everything that he says, there's so much innocence in who he is. I love the fact that he's saying no to every advertisement and every deal that is coming his way, and he's focusing only on cricket. He is being perceived as a child. When he's 18, he'll start being perceived as a man, and the female attention will come. That can distract people as well."
Uthappa also suggested that Sooryavanshi should be kept away from social media.
"I don't think he should be introduced to social media right now. This kid is made for cricket. You felt that with Virat. He is made for this. Allow him to live in that bubble. I think he should not be denied the outside world," he said.
Sooryavanshi will next be seen in action at the Asian Games, which start on September 19.
India Cricket Team