Vaibhav Suryavanshi: “I Want to Play All Three Formats, Not Just T20”

Vaibhav Suryavanshi: “I Want to Play All Three Formats, Not Just T20”

The 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who took the IPL 2026 by storm, has made it clear that his ambitions go far beyond white-ball cricket. The Rajasthan Royals youngster dreams of representing India in Test, ODI, and T20 formats.

In a conversation with Rajasthan Royals manager Romy Bhinder, Vaibhav revealed that his cricket foundation is built on red-ball cricket. He continues to play and train regularly with the red ball.

“Many people ask me whether I want to play red-ball cricket in the future. I have already played it before and I still play it regularly. I have played a lot of red-ball cricket for my state team and want to continue doing so,” Vaibhav said.

He addressed the common perception that his aggressive IPL style makes him only a limited-overs player. Vaibhav firmly rejected this notion:

“The way I bat in this format is because T20 cricket demands it. When I play red-ball cricket, I will bat according to the needs of that format. In ODIs too, I will adapt to the situation. My dream is to play all three formats for India. The rest is in God’s hands.”

Impressive Red-Ball Credentials

Calling Vaibhav just an “IPL star” would be unfair to his red-ball achievements. He has already created several records at a very young age:

• He made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar in the 2023-24 season at just 12 years old.


• In 2024, he smashed the fastest-ever Indian U19 Test century — a blazing 100 off just 58 balls against Australia U19 in Chennai.


• In 2025, he scored 113 off 86 balls against Australia U19 in Brisbane.


• He became the first player in the world to score two U19 Test centuries before turning 15.

Several cricket legends have been impressed by his talent and potential in the longer format. Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara, and South African great Dale Steyn have all publicly backed him for red-ball cricket. Dale Steyn went as far as saying that if Vaibhav takes red-ball cricket seriously, he has the potential to become one of the biggest stars in Test cricket in the future.

Recent Achievement

Following his record-breaking IPL 2026 season — where he scored 776 runs with a whopping 72 sixes — Vaibhav has earned his maiden call-up to the senior Indian team. He has been included in the T20 squads for the Ireland and England series as well as the 2026 Asian Games.

With his maturity, adaptability, and hunger to succeed across formats, Vaibhav Suryavanshi looks set for a bright and versatile international career.