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Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should play Test cricket.
The 15-year-old has announced his arrival in competitive cricket by making 776 runs in IPL 2026 for Rajasthan Royals and winning the Orange Cap. Ashwin was honoured among the 25 'Greatest Men's International Cricketers of the 21st Century' at the Cricinfo Honours Awards 2026. During the event, the veteran all-rounder spoke about his opinion on Sooryavanshi pursuing Test cricket. "I personally think he should play Test cricket. If you're thinking about the larger good of the game, then I believe he should. But that said, can you teach your children what they are not willing to learn? You simply can't. I think the ecosystem is driving these things, and sometimes, when the game tells you what needs to be done, it's better to follow what it's telling you," said Ashwin. He added, "You cannot force a particular facet of the game. Yes, Test cricket is the pinnacle, but I've been involved in grassroots coaching for a long time, and I don't see young cricketers turning up wanting to play red-ball cricket. They defend a couple of balls and immediately want to learn the shots that will get them out of trouble." During the event, Ashwin was ranked 25th in the list of the greatest men's international cricketers of the 21st century. Ashwin finished his international cricket career in December 2024 with 765 scalps across formats - second-highest for India, only behind Anil Kumble (953). His tally of 537 wickets for India in Test cricket is also second only to Anil Kumble (619). Ashwin remains the only player in Test history to have claimed more than five Test hundreds (6) to go along with 500 wickets to his name. He is only behind Ian Botham (5) in the tally of nabbing a Test century and five-for in the same Test, having done so four times. (ANI)
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