Former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar has helped the youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to have a bright future in the world but believes that the youngster should be encouraged by Sachin TendulkarDiscipline, focus and mental strength when preparing for a major role.Sooryavanshi, 15, is on the verge of making history in the ongoing T20I for India against Ireland. If he makes his international debut in the next few weeks, the left-handed batsman will become the youngest player to represent India in men’s cricket, surpassing Tendulkar’s record. The batting icon made his debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16, while Sooryavanshi is in line to achieve the feat last year.There were high expectations about the youngster’s debut in the opening T20I in Belfast on Friday. However, a great teacher Gautam Gambhir and the captain Shreyas Iyer retained the inaugural T20 World Cup Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, leaving Sooryavanshi on the bench.Comparisons with Tendulkar have only increased since Sooryavanshi’s incredible IPL 2026 campaign, where he scored over 700 runs in a match. Rajasthan Royals. While acknowledging the excitement surrounding the youngster, Vengsarkar encouraged him to emulate the qualities that made Tendulkar a legend of the game.“When I saw Sachin Tendulkar playing, he looked mentally mature for his age. He excelled in inter-school competitions in Mumbai, including club cricket, where he scored consistently,” Vengsarkar told PTI.“He was mentally prepared to play cricket at the highest level, so that’s how we chose him. He was disciplined, passionate, and thoughtful, and this is a good example for youngsters like Vaibhav to emulate,” he added.While Sooryavanshi is still waiting for his international debut, Vengsarkar believes that it is only a matter of time before the youngster gets his chance and hopes to make the most of it.“I’m sure he’ll get an opportunity, and when he does, he’ll grab it with both hands because he’s a very good player. He’s unbelievable,” Vengsarkar said.“He has the ability to win, some of the shots he plays are blind. His batting is completely different. He can clean the floor with his bat swing and eye contact. In the T20 format, he has been phenomenal,” he added.When asked if Sooryavanshi has the qualities to be a successful cricketer, Vengsarkar chose to be cautious, saying that the youngster has been judged too much for his performance in the shortest format.“It is difficult to say because he is currently in the T20 format, I have never seen him play for a long time,” he said.“But I am sure he will do well, once selected. We have to wait and see how he plays in the long run, which is very important,” said Vengsarkar.
