Harbhajan Singh tells 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to model himself on Virat Kohli

On October 20, 2026, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh told Prakhar Gupta's YouTube channel that Virat Kohli should be the idol for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and urged the teenager to channel his energy into cricket. Harbhajan praised Sooryavanshi's natural hitting ability while warning that talent alone will not secure long-term success.

Sooryavanshi's extraordinary hitting at a young age has prompted comparisons with some of India's greats, and Harbhajan set out the kind of role models he believes the teenager should follow. "The way Virat channelised his energy from a young age, Virat should be Sooryavanshi's idol. He should look up to guys like Kohli, Tendulkar, Dravid, and Kumble. They all channelled their energy only into cricket and did not get distracted by other things. Understanding your priorities is important, and for Sooryavanshi to reach the level his talent warrants, he must be clear in his priorities," Harbhajan said.

Harbhajan also drew a direct parallel between Sooryavanshi and Sachin Tendulkar while tempering his praise with a caution about unfulfilled potential. "He's unbelievable and is someone I am excited to watch through his career. If he doesn't justify his talent, then he must have done something wrong. He has what Tendulkar had in his teens. It is still early, but I've not seen such hitting ability at such a young age. The clarity in his vision at this age is unbelievable," Harbhajan added.

Sooryavanshi has underlined his credentials with performances at domestic and franchise levels that supporters say make a case for India selection. He made his senior international debut against England in July 2026 and scored 42 runs across three matches, then scored 151 runs on the Zimbabwe tour at a strike rate of 196.10.

Despite those numbers, Sooryavanshi was not selected for India's three T20Is against Afghanistan, with Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson preferred at the top of the order. India coach Gautam Gambhir explained the choice as backing established performers rather than questioning Sooryavanshi's ability, saying the teenager would have to wait for his opportunity and that players who had performed consistently over a longer period would remain ahead in the selection pecking order.

The same waiting period continued during the five-match West Indies T20I series, in which Sooryavanshi did not feature. At the 2026 Under-19 World Cup he scored 439 runs in seven matches, including 175 off 80 balls in the final against England, and the challenge identified by observers is translating that output into senior international cricket where competition for places is stronger.

Harbhajan closed by urging patience and the establishment of clear priorities around cricket rather than rushing Sooryavanshi into a finished product, stressing that the teenager's extraordinary talent needs to be supported by disciplined habits and focus to meet long-term expectations.