India must nurture Vaibhav as a generational talent, says Sikandar Raza

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has backed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to become a generational talent, urging India not to judge the 15-year-old too quickly after a difficult start to his international cricket journey. The teenage opener broke Sachin Tendulkar's 34-year-old record as India's youngest debutant earlier this month but has struggled with short-pitched bowling in his opening three T20Is against England.

The young batter returned scores of 14, 13 and 15 in his first three innings in international cricket after he replaced Sanju Samson at the top of the order. However, his credentials before his international arrival were exceptional.

Sooryavanshi dominated IPL 2026 with authority, amassing 776 runs across 16 innings at a blazing strike rate of 237.30. His performance earned him three major awards: the Orange Cap, the MVP honour, and the Emerging Player prize. He also shattered Chris Gayle's record by smashing 72 sixes in a single IPL season. At the U19 World Cup final in February, Sooryavanshi produced a knock for the ages, blasting 175 off just 80 balls against England, with 15 fours and 15 sixes, to help India secure the title.

"Vaibhav is a supremely talented cricketer. If a 15-year-old kid is playing international cricket, criticising him after just two or three matches isn't justified. I think Vaibhav has a lot of very good senior cricketers around him. If he is managed and handled well, I think Vaibhav could be a generational talent," Raza said on JioHotstar.

Raza stressed that the burden of success should rest with the team's management, not the young batter's shoulders. The opener stepped into international cricket already carrying immense expectations after his record-breaking IPL campaign grabbed global attention long before pulling on an India jersey. The Zimbabwe skipper highlighted that careful management at this early stage remains crucial for the teenager's development.

"To see what he has done over the last year, what he has done for India Under-19, and the fact that he made his international debut at the same age, these are no small feats by any means. You don't get to hear such stories nowadays. Vaibhav is special. It will be important how he is managed and handled," Raza added.

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With the first T20I against Zimbabwe set for Thursday, July 23 at the Harare Sports Club, the team management will have a chance to ease the young batter back into form ahead of the three-match series.