'Test cricket needs players to play all formats' - Rahul Dravid on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Rahul Dravid has stressed the need for young players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to gain experience across all formats of cricket to ensure the long-term health and growth of Test cricket. Sooryavanshi, born on March 27, 2011, is currently 15 years old and has already made a significant impact in white-ball cricket, particularly during the IPL 2026 season where he was the Most Valuable Player and scored 776 runs for Rajasthan Royals.

Dravid, who was head coach of Rajasthan Royals when the franchise signed Sooryavanshi ahead of the 2025 IPL season, spoke about the balance required for the young batter's development. The former India coach has consistently advocated for nurturing talent across multiple formats rather than allowing young players to specialise exclusively in T20 cricket.

"I think you always have to find that balance. nd I think it's a great thing that Vaibhav is getting the experience of playing some white-ball cricket through the IPL in India, but he's also having the time to go back and play red-ball cricket in the Indian domestic system and grow his red-ball career," Dravid said to Cricinfo.

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Balance between formats is essential for Sooryavanshi's growth

The former India coach emphasised that Test cricket's survival and growth depend on having players capable of performing across multiple formats. Dravid highlighted the importance of players like Sooryavanshi in this context, noting that their ability to excel in both white-ball and red-ball cricket strengthens the sport's foundation.

"All of us also want to see Test cricket survive, all of us want to see Test cricket grow, and we need players like him to be able to hopefully play all formats of the game," Dravid said.

Dravid acknowledged that Sooryavanshi has not yet accumulated as much red-ball experience as white-ball cricket, but he expressed confidence in the youngster's development trajectory. Sooryavanshi made his first-class debut in January 2024 and has since been building his domestic red-ball credentials alongside his IPL commitments.

"The good thing is he's going to take some time, he's going to need some experience, he's going to get an opportunity to play a lot of red-ball cricket. He's not played as much red-ball cricket as probably white-ball cricket," Dravid said.

Patience and realistic expectations for a 15-year-old talent

Dravid stressed the importance of patience with young talent, particularly given Sooryavanshi's age and the rapid success he has already achieved in white-ball formats. The coach cautioned against placing excessive expectations on a player who is still in the early stages of his career and has demonstrated remarkable maturity in his approach to cricket.

"He's only 15 and I think you've got to just give him some time and you've got to be patient with him. He's obviously been such a success straightaway, right, but he's going to go through his ups and downs and I think people are going to have to be patient with him," Dravid said.

Dravid outlined a realistic pathway for Sooryavanshi's future, acknowledging both the potential for success and the inevitable challenges that lay ahead. He emphasised that the youngster's decision to focus on red-ball cricket in the Indian domestic system, rather than pursuing T20 opportunities globally, positioned him well for potential future representation at Test level.

"I think he's going to have some success but he also might have periods where it probably doesn't work out well for him. But let's all remember he's only 15 and he has a long way to go. So Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, by not playing in T20 competitions all over the world, is actually playing in the red-ball Indian domestic competition," Dravid said.

"He's growing, he's getting better at red-ball skills. Hopefully someday if he does well and performs well like he has in white-ball cricket, he might become a red-ball player for India. And how exciting that would be for the world game as well," he added.