Is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ready for Test cricket? Sachin Tendulkar gives blunt verdict

After yet another spectacular IPL season, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues his flight in the Indian cricket circuit and this time he had batting legend Sachin Tendulkar bedazzled with his talent. Speaking at the Cricinfo Honours in Mumbai on Saturday, the 'Master Blaster' gave the 15-year-old the ultimate stamp of approval and called his batting "magnificent".

"Everyone is talking about Sooryavanshi, and I watched him bat - it was magnificent," Tendulkar said. "I mean he is something truly special. And not just the ability to hit the ball, but what also fascinated me was the wrist work that he has. To be able to play in all directions of the ground, you need good wrist work. And he is not slogging the ball. He is just picking the line and length earlier than the rest of the guys and he is able to clear the rope comfortably."

Tendulkar also weighed-in on the subject of him making the cut for the senior national side, a topic that has been discussed by both fans and experts. However, the talks were not limited to the white-ball format but a possibility if the teenager is ready for the biggest challenge - Test cricket.

Tendulkar had one advice for the youngster: "I would tell him to just be himself."

"There is always a first time. In Test cricket, along with age, he will learn how to deal with various challenges. [It's about] having a solution-oriented mindset. Problems are always going to be there. Problems will be there till the last day of your career, till the last ball you face. The bowler is asking a question every ball. Now, what solutions do you find? He's kind of a player who looks very confident, very, very sure of what he wants to do and I would not want to play around with his natural instincts.

"The way he sees the ball and the way he responds to that, if that signal is interrupted - if you put a lot of hurdles in between that by telling him multiple things - that's where the real challenge would be. I would give him the freedom to go out and bat the way he does. Along with time, he will learn to deal with other challenges of the game.

"When Ajit (Agarkar) is sitting here, I better be careful what I am saying. I'm not a selector. Not just me, but everyone would want to see him [playing Test cricket] at some stage. I don't know when that is going to happen. But an exciting talent needs encouragement. And if he's doing well, then we need to encourage and support him and enjoy above all and not put pressure on him constantly, you know, he should play this, or he shouldn't be doing this, or he should be picked in whatever squad. Leave that to the guys [selectors] who are responsible for that," he concluded.

Click here to read article