Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the talent and temperament to go far in international cricket, but he also feels the teenage sensation may be among the first modern cricketers to openly say that Test cricket is not his preferred format. De Villiers said he hopes the 15-year-old is surrounded by strong leadership, proper guidance and the right mentorship as he navigates the early stages of his career.

Sooryavanshi, who became the youngest player to represent India when he debuted in the second T20I against England at Old Trafford, has already created history by going past Sachin Tendulkar’s age record for an international debut. The left-handed opener was drafted into India’s XI in place of Sanju Samson, but the teenager has not yet been able to make a major impact with the bat at the highest level.

Speaking to The Times of India, AB de Villiers said the road ahead could be challenging for someone so young, especially if he eventually decides to chase a red-ball career as well. “At 15, you should still be relatively immature and he probably is. We will have to wait and see what happens. I hope he has good leadership, guidance and mentorship around him,” De Villiers said.

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“I also hope he is open to accepting help along the way because it will be a rocky road. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Especially if he chooses to play Tests, which he may not,” he added.

De Villiers went on to suggest that Sooryavanshi could one day be among the first young Indian players to prioritise white-ball cricket over the longer format if that suits his strengths and comfort level. In his view, T20 cricket offers a simpler and more natural route for players who are built for aggressive batting and quick impact.

“He could become one of the first youngsters to simply say, ‘Sorry, I am not interested in Tests. I am perfectly happy playing T20s.’ From a comfort perspective, it is much easier,” AB de Villiers said.

Sooryavanshi’s early red-ball record has been modest so far. He made his first-class debut against Mumbai in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy and scored 19 and 12 in his two innings. In eight first-class matches, he has managed 207 runs at an average of 17.25.

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Despite that, the teenager has already spoken about his desire to develop into an all-format cricketer. During his stint with Rajasthan Royals, Sooryavanshi told Romi Bhinder that he had trained extensively with the red ball and wanted to build a long future in the format as well.