South African cricket legend AB de Villiers has raised reservations about IPL sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s long-term plans, particularly in the red-ball game.
Sooryavanshi earned a call-up to the India squad after claiming the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs in the 2026 IPL season. While few doubt the 15-year-old’s extraordinary talent or his status as one of the game’s brightest prospects, de Villiers has expressed some concerns about his suitability for the longer format.
Sooryavanshi finished the 2026 IPL season with 776 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 237 while playing for Rajasthan Royals. He dominated several of the world’s best bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
But de Villiers is unsure whether the young batter truly wants to make the transition to Test cricket.
Praising Sooryavanshi, de Villiers said: "He's a wonderful talent. The red-ball thing I absolutely cannot answer. I think he can if he wants to, but there's your answer, and there's the big question as well: Does he really want to? Time will tell.
There's no doubt he's got the talent and ability to do so. It won't always be easy, and I've mentioned that a few times before."
If he decides to play red-ball cricket, there will be some challenges, but he's got the skill and the ability to work through that. In my opinion, I hope he does try and play, but I doubt it. We'll see."
Also read: AB de Villiers joins AI-powered cricket platform as Super Coach
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