Former Team India captain and legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev has cautioned teen prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi against the perils of early hype amid his meteoric rise through age-group cricket, the IPL, and now India’s T20I setup.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is currently part of the India squad for the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies. Earlier, the 15-year-old batting prodigy featured in the Asian Games 2026, where the Men in Blue, under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, successfully defended the gold medal by defeating Pakistan in the final in Nisshin.
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) batting sensation made his India debut in the T20I series against England and had a breakthrough series in Zimbabwe T20Is, where he had a 151-run campaign and was adjudged Player of the Series.
‘Look at Kambli’
As Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s talent continues to draw widespread acclaim across the cricketing fraternity, Kapil Dev emphasized that raw ability alone is never enough to guarantee a sustained international career.
Speaking to the Times of India (TOI), the 1983 World Cup-winning captain cited the example of former India batter Vinod Kambli to highlight the reality faced by prodigious talents, noting that while the youngster clearly possesses immense ability, cricket history is filled with players who came with similar promise and eventually faded out.
“It’s too early. Does he have the ability? Yes. But there have been so many in cricket who came with so much ability, then faded out.” Kapil Dev said.
“Look at Vinod Kambli. What will we say about that?” he added.
With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi making waves in international cricket at the age of just 15, the career trajectory of Vinod Kambli, a batting prodigy and childhood friend of Sachin Tendulkar, serves as a stark reminder of how early promise does not always translate into a sustained career at the highest level.
Despite having immense talent, his Test batting average was 54.20, including back-to-back double centuries early on, Kambli ultimately saw his international career stall prematurely due to off-field distractions and an inability to maintain his early momentum.
‘When Lifestyle Changes, Thinking Changes Too’
Further speaking on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s future, Kapil Dev stressed that the true test for any young prodigy lies in how they navigate the inevitable changes that accompany fame and growing up.
“Vaibhav is 15 years old. Give him another three years, then we will talk,” the former India captain said.
“When his lifestyle changes, his thinking too will change. Then we’ll come to know how he will look after the next two years. That is more important than looking at his performance,” he added.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi first shot to fame with his performance in the IPL 2025, followed by a record-breaking outing in the U19 World Cup 2026 Final against England and a 776-run campaign in the IPL 2026, where he captured the Orange Cap and cemented his status as one of global cricket’s most exciting young phenomena.
In his T20I career, Vaibhav has aggregated 246 runs, including 2 fifties, at an average of 30.75 and an impressive strike rate of 186.36 in 8 matches.