Rahul Dravid hints at doubts over Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Test career
Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has expressed concerns over Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's chances of breaking into the Test team due to his growing international commitments.
Dravid feels that the 15-year-old left-handed batter has the talent to succeed in Test cricket but might not get enough opportunities to practice and play domestic cricket. "Whether he'll have the time to play two full seasons of domestic cricket because he'll be so busy playing for India in the white-ball format, I'm not sure about that," Dravid said.
Sooryavanshi has already made a significant impact in white-ball cricket, representing India at just 15 and finishing the IPL 2026 season as Rajasthan Royals' highest run-scorer with 776 runs.
However, his progress in red-ball cricket has been slower, with an average of 17.25 in eight first-class matches. He is currently playing for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, looking to gain more experience in the longer format.
The East Zone vice-captain showed his all-round abilities in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final against North East Zone, scoring eight runs with the bat and picking up two wickets with the ball.
Sooryavanshi's impressive performance with the ball included two crucial wickets in just four deliveries, showing his ability to contribute even when things don't go his way with the bat.
Dravid's concern is not about Sooryavanshi's ability, but whether he will get enough opportunities to play domestic red-ball cricket due to his growing international commitments.
Sooryavanshi has already shown his talent in the shorter formats, but Dravid believes that the teenager will need to work on his skills in the longer format to make a successful transition to Test cricket.
Source: Yahoo Sports