The veteran batsman of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). AB de Villiers believes young batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could be one of the first players of his generation to choose T20 cricket over Test cricket.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his debut for India last week in the second T20I of the ongoing series against England. Speaking on TOI Sports’ Bombay Sports Exchange Podcast, de Villiers said that the growing appeal of T20 cricket could influence young players like Sooryavanshi when deciding where to go next.“He (Sooryavanshi) might be one of the first youngsters to say, ‘Sorry, I don’t want Test cricket. I am very happy to play T20 cricket.’ALSO READ: AB de Villiers reveals that Virat Kohli wanted him to delay RCB retirementDe Villiers said that T20 cricket can be good for batsmen because of the game.“From a comfort point of view, it’s (T20) very easy. You’re facing short runs, there are only two outside the field during the Powerplay, the wickets are clear – it can be a very easy life as a cricketer. We’ll see what he chooses. But regardless of what he (Sooryavanshi) chooses, there will definitely be problems with the hole.”The former South African captain added that if Sooryavanshi chooses not to play Test cricket, the responsibility should not be on the player.“You can’t blame him. The decisions are made at the top. It’s up to the umpires to find the right balance and make the decisions more difficult than they are now. At the moment, the decision is obvious (between Test and T20),” de Villiers said on TOI Sports’ Bombay Sports Exchange Podcast.At the same time, de Villiers said that Sooryavanshi’s journey will not be easy.“He will go through difficult patches. His character will be tested. Then it will be up to him to show if he has the character and mental strength to come through those stages. There are many alarm bells and traps that he will encounter,” he said.He also said that Sooryavanshi will need proper guidance as he grows up.“At 15, you have to remain immature – and maybe he is. We have to wait and see what happens. I hope he has good leadership, guidance and advice around him. I also hope he is open to help along the way because it will be a rocky road. There is no doubt about that. Especially if he chooses to play Test cricket hemp-w.”
