Following Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s record-breaking IPL 2026 season, former spinner R. Ashwin has weighed in on the debate about the young star’s potential Test career. Ashwin believes Sooryavanshi should play for the good of the game, but cautions that the player must be willing and that the current cricket ecosystem favors shorter formats.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has cautioned about pushing the Rajasthan Royals (RR) batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into Test cricket, following his sensational rise in the 2026 IPL season, where he amassed a record-breaking 776 runs and secured the Orange Cap.
During the IPL 2026, Sooryavanshi received an India call-up for the ODI tri-series against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, starting on June 9. It has been reported that the 15-year-old is considered for maiden India call-up for the UK tour, which consists of a three-match T20I series against Ireland, followed by a high-stakes five-match T20I series against England.
Sooryavanshi’s exceptional performance over the past two IPL seasons made him a household name, and his potential selection to the India squad has become a central point of national debate. RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara stated that the young batting prodigy is ‘more than ready’ to play at the highest level.
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‘PersonallyTthink He Should Play Test Cricket’
Since the evolution of T20 cricket, the red-ball cricket format has faced a period of profound uncertainty, forcing the sport to reckon with how it incentivizes talent in an age of high-octane, short-form dominance.
Since Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is often viewed as a product of T20 cricket, the debate centers on whether his aggressive, high-strike-rate brand of batting can, or even should, be adapted to the technical and mental rigors of the longest format. Speaking at the CricInfo Honours Awards 2026, R Ashwin suggests Sooryavanshi should play Test cricket for the game’s benefit, but notes that players must be willing to learn, and the cricket ecosystem often guides such decisions.
“I personally think he should play Test cricket. If you’re thinking about the larger good of the game, then I believe he should,” the former India off-spinner said.
“But that said, can you teach your children what they are not willing to learn? You simply can’t. I think the ecosystem is driving these things, and sometimes, when the game tells you what needs to be done, it’s better to follow what it’s telling you,” he added.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has played Youth Tests against Australia and England, and Ranji Trophy for Bihar, where he has navigated a challenging transition into first-class cricket. While he has excelled in the U19 setup, most notably scoring a record-shattering 175 off 80 balls in the 2026 U19 World Cup final, his domestic red-ball outings have been more limited, having featured in just 8 first-class matches.
‘You Cannot Force a Particular Facet of the Game’
Further speaking on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s participation in Test cricket, R Ashwin emphasized that while Test cricket remains the pinnacle, the reality of grassroots development has shifted significantly.
“You cannot force a particular facet of the game. Yes, Test cricket is the pinnacle, but I’ve been involved in grassroots coaching for a long time, and I don’t see young cricketers turning up wanting to play red-ball cricket,” Ashwin added.
“They defend a couple of balls and immediately want to learn the shots that will get them out of trouble,” he added.
Following the IPL 2026, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi expressed his desire to play Test cricket, as his father stated that the red-ball format is ‘the ultimate format’, adding that he is committed to continuing his work on the red-ball aspect of his game despite the challenges he has faced in his early domestic appearances.
It remains to be seen how Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s transition from being a T20 sensation to a red-ball prospect will unfold, as the BCCI selectors are likely to weigh his explosive potential against the need for the technical refinement required at the highest level of the game.
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