Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reminds Kapil Dev of 16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar

India's first World Cup-winning captain, Kapil Dev has compared Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to a young Sachin Tendulkar, but said it is far too early to judge the teenager's career.

In Short

• Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was handed his maiden India call-up for Ireland and England T20Is
• Kapil praised Sooryavanshi's talent and warned against the burden of early expectations
• Kapil said he hoped the entire India team would perform well, not just Sooryavanshi

Batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reminds Kapil Dev of a young Sachin Tendulkar, with the former India captain praising the teenager's extraordinary talent while warning against placing too much pressure on him too soon.

Sooryavanshi has emerged as one of the brightest young talents in world cricket and is on the verge of making his India debut. The 15-year-old was recently named in India's T20I squads for the tours of Ireland and England after a remarkable rise over the past year.

The youngster is often compared to Sachin Tendulkar, who made his India debut at the age of 16 before going on to become one of the greatest batters the game has seen. Kapil sees similarities between the two, but believes Sooryavanshi's real challenge will begin in the coming years.

"Vaibhav is too young. But yes, he is a special talent and full stop. He is a 16-year-old kid and everything he has is only cricket. Once he reaches 20-22, we will judge. But no doubt his talent is extraordinary. He is like Sachin at the age of 16 but can he play that long? He had to go a long way," Kapil told The Indian Express.

The comparison with Tendulkar comes at a time when expectations around Sooryavanshi continue to grow. Thirty-seven years after Tendulkar made his international debut as a teenager, Sooryavanshi now stands on the brink of becoming the youngest player to represent India.

The left-handed batter earned his maiden national call-up after impressing selectors with his performances in domestic and age-group cricket. While he endured a difficult tri-series in Sri Lanka recently, he answered his critics with a brilliant 94 in the final, reminding everyone of his immense potential.

That innings strengthened his case ahead of India's T20I assignments against Ireland and England, where he could make his international debut.

While much of the spotlight has been on Sooryavanshi, Kapil said he hopes the entire Indian team performs well rather than focusing on one player alone.

"I should say good luck to the Indian team. It's not just to him but to the whole Indian team and every player. And he is part of that," Kapil said.

On Tuesday, an emotional Sooryavanshi received his first India jersey, another significant moment in his rapid rise through the ranks.

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