Kapil Dev urges patience with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Former India captain and World Cup-winning legend Kapil Dev has praised teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, describing him as a special talent while cautioning against making early predictions about his long-term career.

Sooryavanshi has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the past year and is now on the verge of making his senior India debut after being named in the squad for the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland.

The 15-year-old's rapid ascent has inevitably drawn comparisons with batting great Sachin Tendulkar, who burst onto the international scene as a teenager and went on to become one of the greatest batters in the history of the game.

While Kapil acknowledged the youngster's immense potential, he stressed that a true assessment of Sooryavanshi's career can only be made after he progresses through the next stage of his development.

“Vaibhav is too young. But yes, he is a special talent, full stop. He is a 16-year-old kid and everything he has is only cricket. Once he reaches 20-22, we will judge. There is no doubt his talent is extraordinary. He is like Sachin at the age of 16, but can he play that long? He still has a long way to go,” Dev said.

The youngster's journey over recent months has been nothing short of extraordinary. He first grabbed headlines with a match-winning innings of 175 in the Under-19 World Cup final, guiding India to the title and cementing his reputation as one of the country's brightest prospects.

His impressive form continued in the Indian Premier League, where he emerged as one of the standout performers for the Rajasthan Royals.

The teenage batter amassed 776 runs to claim the Orange Cap, becoming the youngest player in IPL history to achieve the feat. He also rewrote the record books by surpassing Chris Gayle's record for the most sixes in a single IPL season.

Sooryavanshi's outstanding performances eventually earned him his maiden senior India call-up. He has been included in India's T20I squads for the Ireland and England series, marking another significant milestone in his rapidly developing career.

Before receiving the national call-up, the youngster endured a disappointing tri-series campaign in Sri Lanka. However, he silenced concerns over his form with a blistering 94 in the final, underlining his ability to respond strongly under pressure.