Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can surpass Sachin Tendulkar in white-ball cricket: Robin Uthappa
New Delhi: Former India batter Robin Uthappa believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the potential to have a bigger impact for India in white-ball cricket than the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Sooryavanshi has become the cynosure of all eyes ever since breaking into the scene and has been dubbed by many as the next big thing in .
While Uthappa drew comparisons between the 15-year-old and Tendulkar, who is widely regarded as the greatest batter of all time, the former India cricketer stressed that the youngster will have to stay away from distractions. Uthappa cited examples of several gifted youngsters in Indian cricket who lost their way after making strong starts in their respective careers.
“He could have a bigger impact on white-ball than Tendulkar. But how he’s managed is going to be important. We’ve seen in Indian cricket exciting players come through the ranks. We saw Vinod Kambli and Prithvi Shaw and started asking what they would become when they were 17-18 years old. And then suddenly they fall off the wagon,” Uthappa said on CommBoxTV.
Uthappa’s word of caution for Sooryavanshi
Sooryavanshi has become one of the most talked-about cricketers in the country over the last couple of years after impressing in domestic cricket, the IPL and making a strong start in international cricket. The 15-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough campaign for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 before tearing it up in the league this year.
He dominated world-class bowlers on his way to finishing as the highest run-getter in IPL 2026. Sooryavanshi smashed a whopping 72 sixes in IPL 2026 to break Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for most sixes by a batter in an IPL season. The 15-year-old’s fearless approach, his striking ability and skills have made him one of the most fearsome batters in the current era.
However, Uthappa believes talent won’t be enough if Sooryavanshi has to live up to his potential for India. The former India batter said that the teenage sensation will have to preserve his hunger and innocence in the coming years to ensure he remains on the right track.
“So that will be Vaibhav’s first test. Can he stay pristine for the game over a period of five years? He’s 15 now, so can he stay pristine till he’s 20? There’s so much innocence to who he is that you want that to be protected,” Uthappa said.
“I love the fact that he’s saying no to every advertisement and he’s focusing only on cricket. Because when he’s 18, he’ll start being perceived as a man and the female attention will come. That can be a distraction as well,” he added.
Uthappa insisted that ups and downs are part of any athlete’s career and that setbacks are inevitable. However, he believes Sooryavanshi should have the right support system around him to ensure he can remain focused on the game.