Rahul Dravid Urges Patience as 15-Year-Old Prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Eyes Test Future

Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid has offered a measured perspective on the rapid rise of 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, emphasizing that while the youngster’s white-ball talent is undeniable, his development into a complete cricketer will require sustained exposure to the longer format.

Sooryavanshi, who has already turned heads with a breakout IPL season and a T20I debut in England earlier this June, is currently navigating the transition between high-octane T20 cricket and the rigors of first-class play. As he prepares to represent East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, Dravid—who worked closely with the teenager at Rajasthan Royals during the 2025 IPL—stressed that the prodigy needs time to bridge the gap in his red-ball experience.

A Need for Red-Ball Reps

Despite his success in limited-overs cricket, Sooryavanshi’s first-class record remains a work in progress. Across 12 innings in the Ranji Trophy Plate League, he has averaged 17.25, a statistic often attributed to the stop-start nature of his domestic career due to international U19 commitments.

"He hasn’t played as much red-ball cricket as probably white-ball cricket," Dravid noted in an interview with Cricinfo. "The good thing is he is going to take some time, he is going to need some experience, he is going to get an opportunity to play a lot of red-ball cricket."

Dravid believes that finding the right balance between the two formats is essential for the 15-year-old’s longevity. "It is a great thing that Vaibhav is getting the experience of playing some white-ball cricket through the IPL in India, but he is also having the time to go back and play red-ball cricket in the Indian domestic system and grow his red-ball career."

The Stewardship of a Future Star

Dravid, a legendary figure in Test cricket, reiterated his commitment to the health of the longest format. "All of us also want to see Tests survive, all of us want to see Tests grow and we need players like him to be able to hopefully play all formats of the game."

However, he cautioned the cricketing public against placing too much pressure on the teenager’s shoulders too soon. Given Sooryavanshi’s early success, there is a natural temptation to label him the "next big thing," but Dravid urged stakeholders to exercise patience.

"He is only 15 and I think you have got to just give him some time," Dravid said. "He has obviously been such a success straightaway, but he is going to go through his ups and downs and I think people are going to have to be patient with him."

As the Vaibhav Sooryavanshi saga continues to unfold, the Duleep Trophy will serve as a vital proving ground. Whether he can replicate his white-ball fluency in the longer format will likely be the definitive test of his potential to represent India across all tiers of the sport.