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Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has urged teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi to take up Test cricket to save the format.
Suryavanshi has won the hearts of many people across the world after his heroics for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026.
After his strange performance in the IPL, there has been a lot of talk about Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s chances of playing international cricket, especially Tests.
Earlier this month, he came one step closer to realizing the India dream after being selected for India A’s tri-series against Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A in June.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi in IPL 2026
After impressing in IPL 2025 and at the Under-19 level, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has exceeded all expectations in IPL 2026.
With 776 runs in 16 matches, the 15-year-old currently has the Orange Cap with only 1 match left in the entire season. However, Suryavanshi’s season has come to an end after RR’s defeat to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on Friday.
Suryavanshi’s runs came at a strike rate of 237, making him the first player to score at least 600 runs at a strike rate of over 200 in any T20 tournament.
He hit 72 sixes in the entire tournament and broke Chris Gayle’s record of most sixes by a player in an IPL season.
“Our hopes are with you” – Dale Steyn
The former South African fast bowler said in his X account that Vaibhav Suryavanshi can become the greatest ambassador of Test cricket.
Steyn said that if Suryavanshi came forward and said that it was his dream to play Test cricket for India, it would be a wonderful advertisement for the format.
“There is no bigger advertisement for Test cricket than Suryavanshi telling the world that his dream is to play for India with the red ball. Our hopes are with you, young sir,” Stan wrote on the X.
There is no bigger advertisement for Test cricket than Suryavanshi telling the world that his dream is to play for India with the red ball.
Our hopes are with you young sir.
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) May 30, 2026
Also read: Vaibhav Suryavanshi gets final nod as Sachin Tendulkar supports Test selection
Vaibhav Suryavanshi in first class cricket
Most of Suryavanshi’s exploits have come at the Under-19 level and IPL. But he has shown glimpses of his skills in senior cricket also.
In 2026, he finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the Under-19 World Cup. India Won the tournament. Vaibhav Suryavanshi gave his best performance against England in the final by scoring 175 runs in 80 balls.
In September 2024, he scored the second fastest century ever in a Youth Test at the age of just 13 with a century in 58 balls against Australia. Suryavanshi has the second and third fastest centuries so far in Youth ODI, he scored centuries in 52 and 53 balls against England.
In December 2025, he scored a century in 36 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. That day, he scored the fastest 150 in List-A history by achieving the milestone in 59 balls and eventually scored 190 off just 84 balls.
In first-class cricket, Suryavanshi has played just 8 matches since making his debut at the age of 12 in the 2024 Ranji Trophy. Suryavanshi has only 207 runs to his name in first-class cricket at an average of 17.25. But he hasn’t given up his aggressive ways in red-ball cricket, as he has maintained a strike rate of 90 in this format.
Last November, he scored his only first-class half-century against Meghalaya, scoring 93 off just 67 balls.
