Former batter Sunil Gavaskar issued a warning amid the hype around 14-year-old star Vaibhav Suryavanshi during the U19 World Cup. With calls growing for an India debut for Suryavanshi, Gavaskar said it is too early to call anybody a sensation, given the gap between Under-19 cricket and senior cricket.
Suryavanshi came into the limelight during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener smashed a 35-ball century against the Gujarat Titans (GT). He took on top-quality bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Prasidh Krishna, and Rashid Khan with fearless strokeplay.
Too Early to Call Anybody a Sensation – Sunil Gavaskar on Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Sunil Gavaskar urged calm amid calls for an India debut for Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He said it is too early to call young players sensations and called for proper guidance and mentorship.
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“It is too early to call anybody a sensation, as time and again it has been seen that there is a huge gap between Under-19 cricket and first-class cricket, not to speak of international cricket,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
“Some of the batters playing IPL and those picked for this season’s IPL batted as if the opposition attack was nothing and tried to hit straightaway and lost their wickets,” he added.
India U19 endured a heavy setback in December 2025. They lost the U19 Asia Cup final to Pakistan U19 by 191 runs after several batters were dismissed while attempting aggressive shots.
Let’s Hope That They Forget Thoughts of IPL – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar stated that young and inexperienced players need strong guidance. He urged the youngsters to put IPL thoughts aside, stay focused on the task in front of them, and aim to win the trophy with discipline and maturity.
“Yes, it’s a young group, inexperienced too and that’s why it’s important for a senior player and mentor to tell them that however ordinary the attack, one mistake can mean you are back in the dugout. Let’s hope that they forget thoughts of IPL and focus on the job at hand and that is to win the Trophy once again. Go for it youngsters,” Gavaskar added.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Rapid Rise Across Formats
During IPL 2025, Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 252 runs in seven matches at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 206.55. He carried that form into age-group and domestic cricket.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed 190 off 84 balls for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, hitting 16 fours and 15 sixes. The left-handed batter reached his century in just 36 balls and also broke AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest List A 150.
His performances earned him an India A call-up for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, where the team lost the semi-final to Bangladesh. In the ongoing U19 World Cup, he scored 2 against the United States of America before bouncing back with 72 against Bangladesh in Bulawayo.
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