Dravid backs Sooryavanshi as a Test cricket bridge
Argument
Rahul Dravid says Test cricket needs young players such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to come through in red-ball cricket as well as white-ball formats. Speaking to Cricinfo in Dublin, he argued that the 15-year-old’s time in the IPL and India setup should be balanced with domestic red-ball cricket so he can develop for the longer game.
Assessment
The case rests on Sooryavanshi becoming more than a white-ball prodigy. Dravid is not claiming that one teenager can rescue Test cricket; he is suggesting that players who can succeed across formats would help keep the format relevant, while also warning that Sooryavanshi’s expectations should be managed because he has played far less red-ball cricket and is still only 15.
Limits
Sooryavanshi’s record so far is overwhelmingly in limited-overs cricket: he has already stood out in the IPL, at Under-19 level and in recent white-ball internationals, but his first-class return remains modest, with eight matches and a 17.25 average.
That makes the red-ball transition the real unknown. Dravid’s argument is about long-term development, not an immediate Test solution, and the article gives no evidence yet that Sooryavanshi is ready for that role.