Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid shared advice for batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is all set to feature in the upcoming Duleep Trophy. Sooryavanshi made headlines after making his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals at the age of 14 in 2025 and breaking several records. He continued his stunning form in the 2026 season, finishing as the tournament’s highest run-scorer. His great performances earned him an international call-up, and he eventually made his senior India debut against England.

“I think you always have to find that balance. And I think it is a great thing that Vaibhav is getting the experience of playing some white-ball cricket through the IPL in India, but he is also having the time to go back and play red-ball cricket in the Indian domestic system and grow his red-ball career,” Rahul Dravid said while speaking to ESPNCricinfo. “All of us also want to see Tests survive, all of us want to see Tests grow and we need players like him to be able to hopefully play all formats of the game.”

READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli

Rahul Dravid, who served as Rajasthan Royals’ head coach during the 2025 IPL season, played an important role in Sooryavanshi’s evolution in the league. He also added that regular exposure to red-ball cricket would further enhance his game as well.

“The good thing is he is going to take some time, he is going to need some experience, he is going to get an opportunity to play a lot of red-ball cricket. He hasn’t played as much red-ball cricket as probably white-ball cricket. He is only 15 and I think you have got to just give him some time and you have got to be patient with him. He has obviously been such a success straightaway, right, but he is going to go through his ups and downs and I think people are going to have to be patient with him,” Rahul Dravid concluded.