File photo of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.© NDTV Library
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin believes that teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should play Test cricket. The 15-year-old has announced his arrival in competitive cricket by scoring 776 runs in IPL 2026 for Rajasthan Royals and winning the Orange Cap. Ashwin was honored among the 25 ‘Greatest Men’s International Cricketers of the 21st Century’ at the Cricinfo Honors Awards 2026. During the event, the veteran all-rounder spoke about his opinion on Sooryavanshi pursuing Test cricket. “I personally think he should play Test cricket. If you’re thinking about the larger good of the game, then I believe he should. But that said, can you teach your children what they are not willing to learn? You simply can’t. I think the ecosystem is driving these things, and sometimes, when the game tells you what needs to be done, it’s better to follow what it’s telling you,” said Ashwin.
He added, “You cannot force a particular facet of the game. Yes, Test cricket is the pinnacle, but I’ve been involved in grassroots coaching for a long time, and I don’t see young cricketers turning up wanting to play red-ball cricket. They defend a couple of balls and immediately want to learn the shots that will get them out of trouble.”
During the event, Ashwin was ranked 25th on the list of the greatest men’s international cricketers of the 21st century.
Ashwin finished his international cricket career in December 2024 with 765 scalps across formats – the second-highest for India, only behind Anil Kumble (953). His tally of 537 wickets for India in Test cricket is also second only to Anil Kumble (619).
Ashwin remains the only player in Test history to have claimed more than five Test hundreds (6) to go along with 500 wickets. He is only behind Ian Botham (5) in the tally of registering a Test century and a five-for in the same Test, having done so four times.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
IPL 2026 | Delhi Capitals Wins By 6 Wickets Against Mumbai Indians: Redemption For Sameer Rizvi
Topics mentioned in this article
