Rahul Dravid highlights scheduling challenges for teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has rapidly emerged as one of Indian cricket's most exciting prospects, showcasing his explosive batting prowess across white-ball formats. At just 15, the left-hander has already made a significant impact on the international stage, following a standout IPL 2026 campaign where he finished as the Rajasthan Royals' leading run-scorer with 776 runs. His momentum continued with a blistering 94 off 29 balls in a List A tri-series final against Sri Lanka 'A', before he earned his senior India debut against England in July.

Despite his success in limited-overs cricket—highlighted by a Player of the Series performance in Zimbabwe and a T20I strike rate of 189.21—the transition to red-ball cricket remains a work in progress. With an average of 17.25 across eight first-class appearances, Sooryavanshi is currently competing for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy to gain essential experience in the longer format of the game.

Speaking to JioHotstar, Dravid noted that the primary challenge is not skill-based, but rather a matter of time and opportunity. He questioned whether the young batter would be able to dedicate two full seasons to domestic red-ball cricket given the likelihood of his continued involvement in India's white-ball squads. According to the former coach, the difficulty lies in balancing the intense international schedule with the necessary preparation required to break into a competitive Test XI.

His first breakthrough came in the 28th over when he induced a leading edge from Kishan Lyngdoh, which was safely caught by substitute fielder Denish Das. Just three balls later, he claimed his second scalp by finding the outside edge of Imliwati Lemtur, with wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan completing the dismissal. This performance underscored his ability to influence the game even when his primary skill, batting, does not yield the desired results.