Australian cricket great Steve Waugh believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the talent to eventually play Test cricket for India. The 15-year-old has already attracted significant attention with his fearless approach in white-ball cricket and has established himself as one of the most exciting young batters in the game. Sooryavanshi has made a strong impression for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and has also represented India A across formats. His performances earned him an India call-up, and he has already made his international debut in T20Is.

With his ability to attack bowlers from the outset, discussions have now begun about whether the youngster could eventually make the transition to Test cricket. Steve Waugh believes there is little doubt about Sooryavanshi’s ability to succeed in the longest format. However, the former Australia captain feels India should be patient with the youngster rather than rushing him into Test cricket simply because of his remarkable talent.

Speaking on Star Sports, Waugh said Sooryavanshi has the potential to make an immediate impact in Test cricket but stressed that the decision to hand him a debut at such a young age will ultimately depend on the Indian team management. “He’s obviously a freakish talent, and he will be good enough to play Test cricket. I do not doubt that. The question is if India are prepared to give him an opportunity so early. There’s nothing to say that he doesn’t score a century in his first Test match. He has that sort of talent, but it’ll be different,” Waugh said.

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Sooryavanshi has already rewritten a significant record by becoming the youngest player to make his India debut, surpassing the previous mark held by Sachin Tendulkar. He also became the youngest Indian to score an international half-century.

His early international journey has not been completely smooth. After struggling for runs during India’s tour of England, Sooryavanshi responded strongly during the subsequent series against Zimbabwe. His ability to bounce back after difficult outings has further highlighted his temperament despite his age.

The youngster was also part of East Zone’s campaign in the Duleep Trophy 2026 quarter-final, where he served as vice-captain. Although he managed only eight runs from six balls with the bat, East Zone produced a dominant performance against North East Zone, winning the match by an innings and 210 runs.

Waugh believes first-class cricket will play a crucial role in preparing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the demands of Test cricket. Unlike T20 cricket, the red-ball format requires batters to adapt to changing conditions, longer spells from bowlers and extended periods at the crease. “There will be different challenges for him in Test cricket. Bowlers have more scope to do things differently. I would like to see him have more first-class experience under his belt. You don’t want to throw him into Test cricket without a lot of three- or four-day cricket experience,” Waugh added.

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Sooryavanshi has so far scored 215 runs in nine first-class matches at an average of 16.53. While those numbers underline the need for further red-ball development, his age gives India plenty of time to nurture his talent before making a decision on his Test future.