NEW DELHI: As Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stands on the verge of becoming the youngest player to represent India, former captain Sourav Ganguly has issued a passionate appeal for patience, urging fans and experts not to burden the teenage sensation with unrealistic expectations.The 15-year-old batting prodigy, who lit up IPL 2026 with a record-breaking campaign, has earned his maiden India call-up for the T20I tours of Ireland and England and the Asian Games in Japan.Ganguly, however, believes the youngster must be given time to adapt to the challenges of international cricket. “I think we should let him be, he’s just 15-year-old and I don’t think he’ll bother too much about pressure and that’s what we get to see him in the IPL,” Ganguly told PTI.The former India captain acknowledged that the conditions awaiting Sooryavanshi overseas would be vastly different from what he experienced during the IPL.“Obviously, playing for India is different and he will be touring where the wickets will be a little different,” Ganguly said.“It will seam and there will be a bit more bounce and a bit more movement with the new ball, so the game is a bit different, but I think he’s got enormous talent,” he added.Ganguly then made a dramatic appeal, asking everyone around Indian cricket to give the youngster room to grow.“… so just let him be, don’t expect the world from him straightaway. Just allow him to settle down because you know he’s got a lot of talent like many others in India,” Ganguly said.
BCCI steps in to make transition easier
In a move aimed at easing the teenager into the senior setup, the BCCI has decided to allow Sooryavanshi’s parents to accompany him on the tours of Ireland and England, with the board bearing all expenses.BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the decision was taken to ensure that the youngster remains comfortable as he enters unfamiliar surroundings.“As he is a child, we have decided to allow his parents to accompany him to Ireland and England, so that they can be with him and help him settle in the new environment. The Board will cover all their expenses,” Saikia told Sportstar.Saikia revealed that Sooryavanshi’s father, Sanjeev, had already travelled to Sri Lanka to be with his son, who is currently with the India A side in Dambulla.The BCCI secretary stressed that the board had a responsibility to ensure that the 15-year-old did not feel isolated in the senior dressing room.“It’s because otherwise he was always traveling with his under-19, junior boys or sub-junior boys team. It meant that he was in the comfort zone. But now he will be in the adult world and we want to make him comfortable, as he is a 15-year-old kid,” Saikia said.
A meteoric rise
Sooryavanshi’s ascent has been extraordinary. Fresh from helping India win the Under-19 World Cup, the Rajasthan Royals batter dominated IPL 2026, scoring 776 runs to claim the Orange Cap.He also swept multiple honours, including the Emerging Player award, Most Valuable Player award, best strike rate and the record for most sixes in a single IPL season.Chief selector Ajit Agarkar summed up the teenager’s rise perfectly.“We’ve got high hopes of him, and I think he just has picked himself really,” Agarkar had said.For now, though, Ganguly’s message remains clear: India may have found a generational talent, but the biggest challenge will be resisting the temptation to expect greatness overnight.
