Former South African batter Daryll Cullinan has downplayed the hype around Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the T20I series against England. Cullinan said Sooryavanshi should have a long career and he shouldn’t be washed up at 25.
Sooryavanshi, 15, has taken the cricketing world by storm with his impressive talent. The youngster received his maiden T20I call-up after smashing 776 runs in 16 matches of IPL 2026 at a blistering strike rate of 237.30 for Rajasthan Royals. But he didn’t make his debut against Ireland and might have to wait for his chance against England.
Cullinan said on ESPN Cricinfo, “What we should hope for is that he retires at 40 and not washed up at 25. That’s another 25 years of him! We should hope there are still parts of his life in which he can be ordinary and unobserved, in which he can fail quietly, laugh freely, finish his studies, play without a camera nearby, and digest all of what’s happening.”
The former right-handed Proteas batter said Sachin Tendulkar can provide perfect guidance to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
“It is my sincere hope that he will turn to Tendulkar for guidance. He could not be luckier than to have a mentor in a fellow Indian cricketer who has been through it all and seen it all, and who will have his best interests at heart.”
Cullinan added that Sooryavanshi should be given the space to develop physically without putting him at risk of premature injuries.
“He should be at home preparing for his exams, playing gully cricket with his mates, and being a young boy while he still has the chance. That does not mean ignoring his talent. It means understanding that the talent will only be truly served if the person carrying it is allowed to grow whole and he is physically allowed to develop without the risk of premature injuries,” said Cullinan (via the aforementioned source).
“His identity has been decided for him by his own gift, the most involuntary thing a person can possess, before he has had much chance to explore alternatives. That is the quiet sadness beneath all the celebration. The boy becomes the legend before he has had the chance simply to become a man.”
India will next take on England in a five-match T20I series, starting Wednesday.
