Former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar has backed teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to enjoy a bright international future but believes the youngster should take inspiration Sachin Tendulkardiscipline, focus and mental strength as he prepares for the biggest stage.Sooryavanshi, 15, 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 iconic batsman made his debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16, while it is Sooryavanshi’s turn to achieve the milestone a year earlier.There was much anticipation surrounding the teenager’s debut in the opening T20I in Belfast on Friday. However, the head coach Gautam Gambhir and the captain Shreyas Iyer retained the T20 winning opening combination of the World Cup Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, leaving Sooryavanshi on the bench.Comparisons with Tendulkar have only intensified since Sooryavanshi’s outstanding IPL 2026 campaign, where he amassed over 700 runs for Rajasthan Royals. While acknowledging the excitement surrounding the youngster, Vengsarkar urged him to follow the qualities that made Tendulkar a legend of the game.“When I watched Sachin Tendulkar play, he looked mentally mature for his age. He was extremely good in inter-school tournaments in Mumbai, apart from club cricket, where he was scoring consistently,” Vengsarkar told PTI.“He was mentally prepared to play cricket at a higher level, 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 chance and expects him to make the most of it.“I’m sure he’ll get a chance, and when he does, he’ll grab it with both hands because he’s a very good player. He’s just amazing,” Vengsarkar said.“He has huge potential. Some shots he plays are unreal. His batting is completely different. He can clear the field with his bat swing and hand-eye coordination. In the T20 format, he was 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 shortest format.“It’s very difficult to say because he’s in the T20 format at the moment. I haven’t seen him play in the longer format,” he said.“But I am sure he will do well in it, once he gets selected. We will have to wait and see how he plays in the longer format, which is very important,” Vengsarkar added.
