Sooryavanshi, who has already made an impact in white-ball cricket, is set to feature for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy as he looks to gain more experience in the longer format.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Dravid, who coached Sooryavanshi at Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, said the youngster\u2019s development needs to be carefully managed, with a balance between white-ball opportunities and red-ball cricket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think you always have to find that balance. And I think it\u2019s a great thing that Vaibhav is getting the experience of playing some white-ball cricket through the IPL in India, but he\u2019s also having the time to go back and play red-ball cricket in the Indian domestic system and grow his red-ball career,\u201d Dravid told Cricinfo at an event in Dublin to unveil the European T20 Premier League (ETPL).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAll of us also want to see Test cricket survive, all of us want to see Test cricket grow, and we need players like him to be able to hopefully play all formats of the game,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sooryavanshi has played only eight first-class matches so far, averaging 17.25, and Dravid believes the youngster needs a consistent run in the format to develop his red-ball skills.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe good thing is he\u2019s going to take some time, he\u2019s going to need some experience, he\u2019s going to get an opportunity to play a lot of red-ball cricket. He\u2019s not played as much red-ball cricket as probably white-ball cricket,\u201d Dravid said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe\u2019s only 15, and I think you\u2019ve got to just give him some time and you\u2019ve got to be patient with him. He\u2019s obviously been such a success straightaway, but he\u2019s going to go through his ups and downs, and I think people are going to have to be patient with him,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Duleep Trophy could provide Sooryavanshi with at least two consecutive first-class matches, while a third could come if East Zone reach the final. He may also get further red-ball opportunities when India A host Australia A in two unofficial Tests in September.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Dravid also believes Sooryavanshi\u2019s decision to continue playing domestic red-ball cricket rather than chasing T20 opportunities around the world will benefit his long-term development.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s going to have some success, but he also might have periods where it probably doesn\u2019t work out well for him. But let\u2019s all remember he\u2019s only 15 and he has a long way to go,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSo Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, by not playing in T20 competitions all over the world, is actually playing in the red-ball Indian domestic competition. He\u2019s growing, he\u2019s getting better at red-ball skills.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s going to have some success, but he also might have periods where it probably doesn\u2019t work out well for him. But let\u2019s all remember he\u2019s only 15 and he has a long way to go,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHopefully, someday if he does well and performs well as he has in white-ball cricket, he might become a red-ball player for India. And how exciting that would be for the world game as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n