Former India batsman Ajinkya Rahane has weighed in on 15 year old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who made his international cricket debut last month during the England tour in July. Rahane's message is simple: do not pile pressure on the young batsman about Test cricket just yet, because IPL and international cricket are worlds apart.
Suryavanshi's start to international cricket was far from spectacular. He managed just 42 runs across three T20 matches in England, scoring 14, 13 and 15 in the three games. Things picked up on the subsequent Zimbabwe tour, where he found his rhythm and scored 151 runs in three matches, earning the Player of the Series award. It was this performance that prompted Rahane to offer his assessment of the youngster.
What Rahane said about Suryavanshi playing Test cricket
Rahane, who recently retired from cricket, was asked on the Stick to Cricket podcast whether Suryavanshi would go on to play Test cricket for India. He responded that it is difficult to say anything on that front right now. The podcast panel also included David Lloyd, Phil Tufnell, along with former England captains Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan. Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar had earlier backed Suryavanshi for Test cricket, saying that as his age and experience grow, he will naturally learn to handle the different challenges that Test cricket presents.
The gap between IPL and international cricket
Rahane went on to say that he does not want to put any pressure on Suryavanshi at this stage, since people are already talking a great deal about him. He pointed out that Suryavanshi has played only two IPL seasons so far, and that there is a big difference between IPL and international cricket. Playing for the country brings a different kind of pressure altogether. According to Rahane, chasing 70 runs in 4-5 overs is relatively easy in the IPL, but the same task becomes far tougher in international matches. For that reason, he feels Suryavanshi should be allowed to play his natural game without any pressure.
How he has fared since winning the Orange Cap
Suryavanshi won the Orange Cap in IPL 2026 after scoring the most runs in the tournament, 776. However, in the six international matches he has played so far, he has not been able to replicate that same aggressive IPL style batting. In the first T20 against Zimbabwe, he smashed a rapid 50 off just 19 balls, but in the second match he was dismissed for 20 off 9 balls. He then followed it up with a fine knock of 81 runs off 49 balls in the third match, showing that his form has been swinging between highs and lows.
