Kapil Dev has warned against the excessive hype surrounding 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, citing Vinod Kambli’s career and urging people to give the young India opener time to develop.
IMAGE: India legend Kapil Dev has stressed that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s lifestyle and mindset will be crucial to his future. Photograph: ANI Photo
Key Points
- Kapil Dev has warned against ‘excessive hype’ for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has rapidly risen to international cricket.
- Dev compared Sooryavanshi’s trajectory to that of Vinod Kambli, whose promising career faded despite early success.
- Sooryavanshi is currently part of the Indian T20I squad against the West Indies and has already achieved Player of the Series honours in Zimbabwe T20Is.
- Kapil Dev urged the media to allow Sooryavanshi three years to develop before labelling him a big star, emphasising the impact of lifestyle changes on young players.
- Sooryavanshi gained recognition through IPL performances and a record-setting U19 World Cup final, solidifying his reputation as a promising talent.
Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev has issued a warning to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi regarding the dangers of excessive hype following his rapid ascent into international cricket. Sooryavanshi is part of the current Indian team for the T20I series against the West Indies. The 15-year-old was also part of the gold medal-winning Asian Games 2026 in Nisshin, Japan.
Kapil Dev’s Cautionary Tale
The attacking opener made his debut for India during the T20I series against England and followed it up with a Player of the Series performance in the Zimbabwe T20Is, scoring 151 runs.
Looking at Sooryavanshi’s steep rise, Kapil made some sharp observations and compared Sooryavanshi’s quick rise to that of Vinod Kambli, whose talent faded with time with early success.
‘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. Look at Vinod Kambli. What will we say about that?’ Kapil told The Times of India.
Nurturing Young Talent
Kapil urged the media to refrain from labelling Sooryavanshi as the next big star and give him time to reveal his true potential.
‘Vaibhav is 15 years old. Give him another three years, then we will talk. 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,’ Kapil added.
Sooryavanshi’s Rapid Rise
Kambli’s international career was cut short despite his impressive Test batting average of 54.20 and his early double centuries, due to injuries, off-field issues and an inability to sustain his initial success. Sooryavanshi first gained recognition for his performance in IPL 2025, followed by a record-setting outing in the U19 World Cup 2026 Final against England earlier this year.
His remarkable 776-run season in IPL 2026, where he earned the Orange Cap, solidifying his reputation as one of cricket’s most promising young talents, saw him rise to vice-captain of East Zone team after playing just 8 First Class games for Bihar. In his T20I career, he has scored 246 runs, including two fifties, with an average of 30.75 and an impressive strike rate of 186.36 across eight matches.
