“Going to be bigger than both of them put together” – Dale Steyn’s outrageous prediction for Vaibhav Suryavanshi ahead of Ireland & England T20Is

Former South African pacer Dale Steyn backed 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi to ultimately become a bigger star than the legendary duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli put together. The teenager broke into the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming series against Ireland and England on the back of his extraordinary performances this year.

After helping India win the Under-19 World Cup with a breathtaking 175 in the final, Suryavanshi produced magic in the recently concluded IPL 2026. The youngster finished as the leading run-scorer in IPL 2026 with 776 runs at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 237.30 in 16 outings.

Talking about Vaibhav Suryavanshi during a media interaction, Steyn said (via India Today):

“You think of guys like Sachin, Virat, and this kid is going to explode. He’s going to be bigger than both of them put together at the end of his career. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a different gravy. He’s better than most international players right now. He’s a genuine boy wonder and a treasure for Indian cricket.”

The former pacer added:

“He’s a fantastic ball striker. I’ve watched him play in India, where the wickets are good. The fields are slightly smaller, just slightly. And with the wickets as good as they are, he’s exploited that really well. He’s a very good player who can do that.”

Thanks to his Player of the Tournament showing in the Under-19 World Cup and IPL 2026, Suryavanshi became the youngest ever to earn a Team India call-up.

“There’s also a risk that you could lose him” – Dale Steyn on Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Team India future

Dale Steyn urged Team India to handle Vaibhav Suryavanshi properly every step of his international career, considering his reputation at such a young age. The 15-year-old could be in line for a national debut at the end of this month or next month in the Ireland or England T20Is.

“I’d be very careful about how he’s managed and looked after. With great responsibility comes great reward, but there’s also a risk that you could lose him along the way if he isn’t handled properly,” said Steyn (via the aforementioned source).

Steyn also believes bowling short is the only way to rattle Suryavanshi, saying:

“You’ve got to test him upstairs, and he’s still young, he’s only 14-15, and if you can throw a little bit of fear factor into the game, I mean, cricket is a fear factor game. If you go into the game scared, if you’re fearing somebody, not for your life, but even just fear bowling to them or fear facing them, fear can make you do silly things. So, the short ball towards him is probably a good option.”

It remains to be seen if Suryavanshi debuts straightaway in India’s T20I series opener against Ireland in Belfast on June 26.