Former batsman Sunil Gavaskar issued a warning amid the ongoing publicity regarding 14-year-old star Vaibhav Suryavanshi during the U19 World Cup. On the growing demand for Suryavanshi to make his India debut, Gavaskar said that it would be too early to call anyone a sensation considering the difference between Under-19 cricket and senior cricket.
Suryavanshi came into limelight during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener scored a century in 35 balls against Gujarat Titans (GT). He faced top quality bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan with fearless strokeplay.
It is too early to call anyone sensational – Sunil Gavaskar on Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Amidst the demand for Vaibhav Suryavanshi to make his India debut, Sunil Gavaskar urged to remain calm. He said it was too early to call young players a sensation and called for proper guidance and guidance.
“It would be too early to call it a sensation as it has been repeatedly observed that there is a huge gap between Under-19 cricket and first-class cricket, leave alone international cricket,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
“Some of the batsmen playing the IPL and those selected for the IPL this season batted as if the opposition attack was nothing and tried to hit straight and lost their wickets,” he said.
India U19 suffered a huge setback in December 2025. They lost the U19 Asia Cup final to Pakistan U19 by 191 runs after several batsmen were dismissed attempting aggressive shots.
Let’s hope they forget the idea about IPL – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar said that young and inexperienced players need strong guidance. He urged the youngsters to put aside thoughts of the IPL, stay focused on the task in front of them and aim to win the trophy with discipline and maturity.
“Yes, this is a young group, inexperienced too and that is why it is important for a senior player and mentor to tell them that no matter how normal the attack is, one mistake could mean you are back in the dugout. Let’s hope they forget about the IPL and focus on the task at hand and that is to win the trophy once again. The youngsters should strive for that,” Gavaskar said.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s rapid rise in all 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 forward into age-group and domestic cricket.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi scored 190 runs with the help of 16 fours and 15 sixes in 84 balls for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The left-handed batsman completed his century in just 36 balls and also broke AB de Villiers’ record of the fastest List A 150.
His performances earned him an India A call-up for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, where the team lost to Bangladesh in the semi-finals. In the ongoing U19 World Cup, he scored 2 against the United States before making a comeback with 72 against Bangladesh in Bulawayo.
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