Kapil Dev has no doubt about the unique talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi possesses, but at the same time, India’s first-ever World Cup-winning captain has urged patience before jumping the gun. Kapil heaped praise on Sooryavanshi, comparing him to some of the greatest legends in Indian cricket. Then again, he hasn’t forgotten that the youngster is just 15, with his entire life and career ahead of him.
At a time when most 15-year-olds are preparing for their board exams, Sooryavanshi is touring England with the senior Indian men’s cricket team. While that is an achievement in itself for someone who began playing top-flight cricket only last year, Kapil believes the teenager’s innocence should not be lost amid the growing hype. As bright as Sooryavanshi’s future looks, Kapil feels the chatter should be kept in check until he proves himself in Test cricket.
“I haven’t seen much of him, but I have seen a little. He is a huge talent, without any doubt. But I think we are talking too big too soon about him. Give him a little time. Don’t build him up so much that he doesn’t even get the chance to understand himself at such a young age. He is still discovering himself,” Kapil said in a podcast on Sports Tak.
“If you talk about talent, then yes, he is as talented as Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli. You can see immense talent in him. But in T20 cricket. The day he plays Test cricket, can he play out five maidens? Sehwag won’t think like that, but that’s how people in cricket think. In T20 cricket, though, I think he is fabulous. At such a young age, you won’t find even one percent of players like him.”
