Dravid calls for balance as Sooryavanshi returns to red-ball cricket
Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has stressed the importance of a carefully managed pathway for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as the young batter prepares to return to the longer format. Dravid, who coached Sooryavanshi at Rajasthan Royals during IPL 2025, said the teenager’s exposure to both white-ball and red-ball cricket is a positive development.
“I think you always have to find that balance. And I think it is a great thing that Vaibhav is getting the experience of playing some white-ball cricket through the IPL in India, but he is also having the time to go back and play red-ball cricket in the Indian domestic system and grow his red-ball career,” Dravid said in an interview with Cricinfo.
Sooryavanshi, who made his T20I debut in England in June after a breakthrough IPL season with Rajasthan Royals, is now set to represent East Zone in the Duleep Trophy. His first-class record, however, remains modest. He averages 17.25 from 12 innings across three stints in the Ranji Trophy Plate League, with his domestic campaigns interrupted by India U19 commitments. NewsBytes also reported that Sooryavanshi scored 207 runs in eight Ranji Trophy matches, with one fifty for Bihar.
Dravid emphasizes patience and experience
Dravid highlighted the broader significance of developing players capable of succeeding in Test cricket. “All of us also want to see Tests survive, all of us want to see Tests grow and we need players like him to be able to hopefully play all formats of the game,” he added.
For Sooryavanshi, the Duleep Trophy provides another opportunity to build experience in red-ball cricket. Dravid feels the teenager needs sustained exposure to the format, particularly because he has not played it as regularly as white-ball cricket.
“The good thing is he is going to take some time, he is going to need some experience, he is going to get an opportunity to play a lot of red-ball cricket. He hasn’t played as much red-ball cricket as probably some of the other guys have,” Dravid said, according to The Times of India. He also urged patience: “He is only 15 and I think you have got to just give him some time.”
Strengths and expectations
Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise in white-ball cricket has drawn attention, with analysts pointing to his hand-eye coordination, attacking intent, and confidence as key strengths. However, Dravid’s assessment suggests that red-ball success will require time and continued exposure. The teenager’s next test will come in the Duleep Trophy, where he will represent East Zone and look to build on his domestic red-ball experience.