Kapil Dev's World Cup Winning Teammate Compares Vaibhav Sooryavanshi With Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar

Former India cricketer and 1983 World Cup winner Madan Lal believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the rare talent and mindset that reminds him of legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar. He feels the 15-year-old should be brought into the national team setup sooner rather than later.

Why Madan Lal compare Sooryavanshi with Kohli, Sachin and Gavaskar?

Speaking to PTI, Madan Lal praised Sooryavanshi’s natural ability but said true greatness can only be achieved by proving himself in Test cricket as well.

“Vaibhav is an exceptionally talented player. He has a God-gifted talent and a strong mindset, just like some of the greatest players India has produced. Such cricketers come once in a generation,” Lal said.

At the same time, he stressed that Sooryavanshi still has a long journey ahead. According to Lal, playing for India A, taking part in three-day matches and gaining international experience against teams like Ireland will help him grow into a complete cricketer.

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Sooryavanshi's IPL 2026 career

Sooryavanshi enjoyed a remarkable IPL 2026 season and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He scored 776 runs in 16 innings at an average of 48.50 and an incredible strike rate of 237.30. The youngster also won the Orange Cap after smashing one century and five half-centuries. His 72 sixes in the season broke Chris Gayle’s long-standing IPL record of 59 maximums in a single edition.

Lal believes Sooryavanshi already has the talent to match India’s current T20 stars, but said he must continue proving himself at the highest level.

“He is as talented as players like Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. The difference is that they have already established themselves in international cricket. Vaibhav now has to do the same,” he said.

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The former India coach was full of praise for the youngster’s fearless batting style.

“No one bats quite like him. What he has shown at such a young age is unbelievable. Every coach would want a player like him in the team. The challenge is finding the right balance. He shouldn’t be left sitting on the bench because that could affect his confidence. There’s no need to hold him back,” Lal added.