Rahul Dravid Urges Balance for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: ‘We Need Players Like Him to Play All Formats’

Rahul Dravid has stressed the importance of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi maintaining a balance between white-ball and red-ball cricket as the teenage batting prodigy continues his rapid rise.

Dravid, who coached Sooryavanshi at Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, believes the 15-year-old’s development must include regular exposure to red-ball cricket if he is to eventually become a multi-format player for India.

Speaking at an event in London to unveil the European T20 Premier League, where he co-owns Dublin Guardians, Dravid said Sooryavanshi’s current involvement in the IPL should be complemented by opportunities in India’s domestic red-ball structure.

“I think you always have to find that balance,” Dravid said. “And I think it’s a great thing that Vaibhav is getting the experience of playing some white-ball cricket through the IPL in India, but he’s also having the time to go back and play red-ball cricket in the Indian domestic system and grow his red-ball career.”

For Dravid, Sooryavanshi’s development is also closely tied to the future of Test cricket. The teenager is set to begin the new domestic season with East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, giving him an important opportunity to build continuity in the longer format.

“All of us also want to see Test cricket survive, all of us want to see Test cricket grow, and we need players like him to be able to hopefully play all formats of the game,” Dravid said.

Dravid calls for patience with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Sooryavanshi has already made a significant impact in white-ball cricket despite being only 15, but his red-ball record remains modest. He has played eight first-class matches so far, averaging 17.25, although those appearances have been spread around his commitments while competing for a place in India’s Under-19 set-up.

Dravid believes the Duleep Trophy could provide the teenager with the sustained run of red-ball cricket he has lacked so far.

“The good thing is he’s going to take some time, he’s going to need some experience, he’s going to get an opportunity to play a lot of red-ball cricket,” he said. “He’s not played as much red-ball cricket as probably white-ball cricket.”

The former India captain also warned against placing excessive expectations on a player who is still only 15.

“He’s only 15 and I think you’ve got to just give him some time and you’ve got to be patient with him,” Dravid said. “He’s obviously been such a success straightaway, right, but he’s going to go through his ups and downs and I think people are going to have to be patient with him.”

Duleep Trophy offers valuable red-ball exposure

Sooryavanshi’s involvement with East Zone could give him at least two consecutive opportunities in the Duleep Trophy, with a third possible if his side reaches the final. He could then have further red-ball exposure when India A host Australia A in two unofficial Tests in September.

Dravid believes that process is more important than immediate results.

“I think he’s going to have some success but he also might have periods where it probably doesn’t work out well for him,” he said. “But let’s all remember he’s only 15 and he has a long way to go.”

For now, Dravid sees Sooryavanshi’s decision to continue developing his red-ball skills in India’s domestic system as a positive step rather than a distraction from his burgeoning white-ball career.

“By not playing in T20 competitions all over the world, he’s actually playing in the red-ball Indian domestic competition. He’s growing, he’s getting better at red-ball skills,” Dravid said.

The long-term hope is clear: that the teenager can translate his early white-ball success into the red-ball arena and eventually become a player capable of representing India across formats.

“Hopefully someday if he does well and performs well like he has in white-ball cricket, he might become a red-ball player for India,” Dravid said. “And how exciting would that be for the world game as well.”