'Sooryavanshi will do wonders for India, don't pressurise him': Chaminda Vaas
Hyderabad, July 4
Former Sri Lanka fast bowler Chaminda Vaas, currently serving as the official mentor of the Palamuru Strikers in the Telangana T20 League, believes teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has all the ingredients to enjoy a successful international career but urged fans and experts not to burden the 15-year-old with unrealistic expectations.
Speaking to IANS, Vaas said India has consistently produced world-class young cricketers over the years and expressed confidence that Sooryavanshi will eventually establish himself in the national side if allowed to develop naturally.
"Well, India has produced so many young talent over so many years. And this new sensation, Sooryavanshi, is still young, and I am sure he will get the opportunity to play for India and do well, but one thing I will ask of the people is that he is still young and not to pressurise him, and I am sure he will do wonders for Indian cricket."
Sooryavanshi, who grabbed headlines by amassing 776 runs at a staggering strike-rate of 237.30 to bag the Player-of-the-Tournament honour in IPL 2026 for Rajasthan Royals, is currently eyeing a much-anticipated international debut for India in the ongoing five-match T201 series against England. Sooryavanshi was unused in Ireland, as India suffered a shock 2-0 series loss.
Vaas also lauded the TG20, saying tournaments of this nature are crucial in identifying and nurturing young talent while providing aspiring cricketers with a pathway to the IPL and eventually the Indian team.
"Hyderabad Cricket Association organizing the first Telangana T20 is good for the youngsters, and there's so much potential I can see with all the teams. Especially if you take Palamuru Strikers, there are quite a few youngsters coming through the ladder, and I'm really pleased with their performance, but even though as a team we didn't perform, there are a few individuals striking really well," He said.
Asked to compare the TG20 with other domestic T20 competitions across the country, Vaas said India's cricketing ecosystem has become a benchmark in developing young players by ensuring regular competitive opportunities at the state level.
"Indian cricket has done a great job for youngsters, and not only in Hyderabad, I think every state they organize a T20 tournament and give so much exposure, so much opportunity, as well as the experience to get into IPL, and that's how most of the cricketers have come up. And it's really good to see the youngsters are stepping into the next level," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I don't get the hype. He's 15, playing in the IPL against grown men is one thing, but international cricket is a different beast entirely. India's domestic system is great, but they've rushed players before (like Prithvi Shaw) and it backfired. Let him play Ranji Trophy for two more seasons at least.
Sooryavanshi's stats in IPL 2026 were unreal—776 runs at that strike rate! 🤯 But Vaas makes a good point. Let's not forget that Tendulkar himself was thrown in at 16, but he was an exception. Even Kohli took time. We should support him, not expect him to win every match for India right away.
Respect to Vaas for actually speaking sense. Most ex-cricketers just hype up Indian players for TV ratings. But he's being genuine. The TG20 league sounds like a fantastic platform—Hyderabad has produced gems like VVS Laxman and now they're building that pipeline again. Hope Sooryavanshi gets proper guidance.
I have mixed feelings. Yes, don't pressurise him, but at the same time, if he's good enough to dominate the IPL at 15, he might be good enough for India now. The problem is our selectors are too conservative—they didn't even give him a game in Ireland series. Either back him 100% or leave him alone. Half-baked approaches hurt careers.
Vaas is a legend, and his words carry weight. But I can't help feeling that the Indian cricket ecosystem has become a bit too IPL-centric. We celebrate
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