Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has backed teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to enjoy a bright international future, but believes the youngster should inspire Sachin TendulkarThe discipline, focus and mental strength of him as he prepares for the biggest stage.15-year-old Sooryavanshi is on the verge of creating history during India’s ongoing T20I series against Ireland. If he makes his international debut over the next few weeks, the left-handed batsman will become the youngest player to represent India in men’s cricket, surpassing Tendulkar’s long-standing record. The batting icon made his debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16, while Sooryavanshi is in line to reach the milestone a year earlier.There was great anticipation surrounding the teenager’s debut in the opening T20I in Belfast on Friday. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer retain the T20 World Cup winning opening combination Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, leaving Sooryavanshi on the bench.The comparisons with Tendulkar were only intensified by Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary IPL 2026 campaign, where he amassed over 700 runs for the Rajasthan Royals. While acknowledging the excitement surrounding the youngster, Vengsarkar urged him to follow the qualities that make Tendulkar a legend of the game.“When I saw Sachin Tendulkar play, he looked mentally mature for his age. He did very well in inter-school tournaments in Mumbai, besides club cricket, where he scored consistently,” Vengsarkar told PTI.“He was mentally prepared to play a higher level of cricket, so that’s how we picked him. He was so disciplined, passionate and focused, and that’s a great example for youngsters like Vaibhav to emulate,” he added.Although Sooryavanshi is still waiting for his first international appearance, Vengsarkar believes it is only a matter of time before the teenager gets his opportunity and he expects him to make the most of it.“I’m sure he’ll get the opportunity, and once he gets it, he’ll grab it with both hands because he’s a good player. It’s just unbelievable,” Vengsarkar said.“He has tremendous potential. Some of the shots he plays are unreal. His batsmanship is completely different. He can clear the dirt with his bat swing and hand-eye coordination. In the T20 format, he has been amazing,” he added.When asked if Sooryavanshi possessed the qualities to become a successful Test cricketer, Vengsarkar chose to remain cautious, pointing out that the youngster was largely judged on his exploits in the shorter format.“It is very difficult to say because he is currently in the T20 format. I have not seen him play in a longer format,” he said.“But I am sure he will do well in it, once selected. We have to wait and see how he plays in the longer format, which is very important,” Vengsarkar added.
