[WATCH] ‘Give him the freedom’ – Sachin Tendulkar’s massive statement on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s future as Test batter

The legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar has given a massive statement on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and his future as a red ball player for India in the future. 

The 15-year-old had taken the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 by storm before his team Rajasthan Royals (RR) got eliminated from the competition. The left-hander smashed 776 runs in 16 matches at a stunning strike rate of 237.30, including heroics in the playoffs.

Speaking at a star-studded award function, where he was declared as the greatest batter of this century by ESPNcricinfo, Tendulkar was asked about what it will take for Vaibhav to become an all-format player. 

“I would tell him to just be himself. There is always a first time. In Test cricket, along with age, he will learn how to deal with various challenges. [It’s about] having a solution-oriented mindset. Problems are always going to be there. Problems will be there till the last day of your career, till the last ball you face. The bowler is asking a question every ball. Now, what solutions do you find? He’s kind of a player who looks very confident, very, very sure of what he wants to do and I would not want to play around with his natural instinct,” said Tendulkar at the award function.

He further suggested that everyone should just let Vaibhav play his natural game, and more suggestions about the game can become a challenge for him to handle.

“The way he sees the ball and the way he responds to that, if that signal is interrupted – if you put a lot of hurdles in between that by telling him multiple things – that’s where the real challenge would be. I would give him the freedom to go out and bat the way he does. Along with time, he will learn to deal with other challenges of the game,” the right-hander continued.

The 53-year-old further revealed that despite all of this, he would like to see the young batter play Test cricket for India, but no one should tell him what to do and let the selectors do their job.

“Not just me, but everyone would want to see him [playing Test cricket] at some stage. I don’t know when that is going to happen. But an exciting talent needs encouragement. And if he’s doing well, then we need to encourage and support him and enjoy above all and not put pressure on him constantly, you know, he should play this, or he shouldn’t be doing this, or he should be picked in whatever squad. Leave that to the guys [selectors] who are responsible for that,” he concluded.

Apart from Sachin Tendulkar, the South African legend AB de Villiers was declared the greatest T20 batter of this century in the same award function.