Teenage Rajasthan Royals sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to generate headlines off the field even as his bat has been relatively quiet in IPL 2026, with just 43 runs to his name so far this season. But that hasn’t stopped cricket legend AB de Villiers from singing his praises.
During a chat on his 360Show, the former Royal Challengers Bengaluru icon lauded the 15-year-old for his temperament and consistency of approach. De Villiers highlighted that Sooryavanshi stuck to his game plan, played the same way he did in the IPL, and was not arrogant against the bowlers, asserting that the youngster “will get professional.”
The comments came alongside a contrasting yet equally warm perspective from RCB wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma. On AB de Villiers’ YouTube podcast, Jitesh had called Sooryavanshi “unprofessional,” a remark that later sparked debate on social media after being taken out of context.
Jitesh has since moved to clear the air. He clarified that when de Villiers asked him about future Indian stars, his immediate answer was Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, pointing to his technique, mentality, and hard work, and stating that the youngster could dominate all three formats.
The “unprofessional” tag, Jitesh explained, was purely about off-field habits. “He is a 15-year-old kid who loves ice cream,” Jitesh said warmly, adding that he encourages Sooryavanshi to simply enjoy his youth.
Despite a slow IPL 2026 with the bat so far, the cricket world clearly hasn’t lost faith in India’s next big thing.
