Sikandar Raza Urges India to Protect Vaibhav’s Talent
Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe’s captain, has urged Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to develop into a generational talent and advised India not to judge the 15-year-old too soon after a difficult start to his international cricket career.
Earlier this month, the adolescent opener made India’s youngest debut, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s 34-year-old record. However, in his first three Twenty20 Internationals against England, he struggled with short-pitched bowling.
After replacing Sanju Samson at the top of the order, the young batter scored 14, 13, and 15 runs in his first three innings of international cricket. However, prior to travelling abroad, he had outstanding credentials.
Sooryavanshi dominated the IPL 2026, scoring 776 runs at a blistering strike rate of 237.30 over 16 innings. He got three major awards for his performance: the Emerging Player Award, the MVP Award, and the Orange Cap.
He also broke Chris Gayle’s record by hitting 72 sixes in an IPL season. Sooryavanshi made history in the U19 World Cup final against England in February, scoring 175 runs off just 80 balls, including 15 fours and 15 sixes to help India win.
“Vaibhav is an extremely talented cricketer. If a 15-year-old youngster is playing international cricket, condemning him after only two or three games is unjustified. I believe Vaibhav is surrounded by several talented veteran cricketers. “If he is properly managed and handled, I believe Vaibhav has the potential to be a generational talent,” Raza told JioHotstar.
How Sikandar Raza believes India should deal with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Sikandar Raza highlighted that success should be attributed to the team’s management rather than the rookie batter. Before donning an India jersey, the opener’s record-breaking IPL campaign drew international attention, therefore he went into international cricket with great expectations.
Sikandar Raza emphasised the importance of early management for the adolescent’s development, citing his achievements for India Under-19 and his international debut at the same age. Such stories are uncommon these days. Vaibhav is unique. It will be critical how he is managed and treated,” Sikandar Raza explained.
The first Twenty20 International versus Zimbabwe is set for Thursday, July 23, at the Harare Sports Club. Before the three-game series, the team’s management will have a chance to help the young batter restore his form.
