Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign has triggered growing calls for the teenager to be fast-tracked into India’s senior setup. But one of cricket’s greatest-ever batters, Sachin Tendulkar, believes the focus should remain on allowing the youngster to develop naturally. Tendulkar, who was honoured with the ‘Greatest Men’s International Batter of the 21st Century’ award at the Cricinfo Honours Awards 2026, was asked about Sooryavanshi’s future and whether the Rajasthan Royals sensation could become an all-format player. The former India captain said the 15-year-old should continue trusting the instincts that have already made him one of the most exciting young cricketers in the world. “I would tell Vaibhav just to be himself. There is always a first time. In Test cricket, along with time and age, he will learn how to deal with various challenges, while having a solution-oriented mindset.” Tendulkar pointed out that every batter faces questions throughout their career and success often comes from finding the right answers. “Problems are always going to be there, till the last day of your career, till the last ball you face. The bowler is asking you a question with every ball. Now, what solutions do you find?” He also cautioned against interfering with Sooryavanshi’s natural style, saying the youngster already appears confident in his methods. “He is the kind of player who looks very confident and very sure of what he wants to do. I wouldn’t want to interfere with his natural instincts because the way he sees the ball and the way he responds to it are important.” “If that signal is interrupted, it will be a real challenge. I would give him the freedom to go out and bat the way he does.” Tendulkar’s comments come after an extraordinary IPL season that saw Sooryavanshi achieve feats never before seen in the tournament. The Rajasthan Royals star became the first player in IPL history to win five major individual awards in a single season. He collected the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player award, Emerging Player of the Season award, Super Striker of the Season award and Super Sixes of the Season award. His numbers were equally staggering. Sooryavanshi finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30 while smashing a record 72 sixes. He broke Chris Gayle’s long-standing record of 59 sixes in a season and became the first uncapped batter in IPL history to score two centuries in a single campaign. Among his standout performances were a 16-ball half-century against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator, which equalled the fastest fifty in IPL playoff history, and a 36-ball century against the same opposition earlier in the season. He also became the youngest batter and the fastest by balls faced to reach 1,000 IPL runs. Despite the growing excitement surrounding his future, Tendulkar believes supporters should focus on encouraging the teenager rather than placing additional pressure on him. “Not just me, everyone would want to see him playing Test cricket at some stage. I don’t know when that is going to happen, but an exciting talent needs encouragement.” The batting legend said fans should enjoy watching Sooryavanshi flourish rather than constantly debating when he should make the step up. “If he’s doing well, then we need to encourage and support him and, above all, enjoy watching him, rather than constantly putting pressure on him.” Tendulkar also made it clear that decisions regarding India’s squads should remain with the selectors and team management. “And leave the decisions of whether he should play, whether he shouldn’t be doing something, or whether he should be picked in a particular squad to the people who are responsible for making those decisions.” For now, Tendulkar’s message is simple: let Sooryavanshi continue being himself. The runs, records and opportunities may follow naturally, but preserving the fearless approach that has made him such a phenomenon remains the most important thing of all.
