Former India opener gives BIG warning to RR star Vaibhav Suryavanshi ahead of IPL 2026, says 'second year will be...'

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Bihar's young cricket sensation, has electrified the cricketing world at the tender age of 14.

Currently representing India U-19 during the England tour, Vaibhav recently garnered attention with a blistering 86 runs off 31 balls in the series' final match.

His impressive performance in IPL 2025 had already garnered acclaim, but now, ahead of IPL 2026, the young prodigy has caught the eye—and concern—of former India opener Shikhar Dhawan.

What Sikhar Dhawan said for Vaibhav Suryavanshi?

In a recent interview with the Hindustan Times, Shikhar Dhawan praised the young cricketer while also gave a big warning to him.

The former India opener said, "How old is he, 13-14? (To play IPL) at the age of 14, is a very big thing. The way he was hitting the bowlers and standing in front of the big boys of world cricket at such a young age is remarkable. When I look at his confidence while hitting the big shots... it's amazing. Thanks to IPL, our kids can now dream of getting into a big team from the age of 5. Vaibhav manifested that dream. He is there. A big congratulations to him and his family. A very proud moment for all of us in cricket. A 14-year-old kid playing a big league like that and dominating is unthinkable," Dhawan told Hindustan Times.

"For him, the challenge is going to be how he is gonna handle the fame, the attention, and the money as well. A blessing that happened to him is that he was in great hands... Rahul Bhai, Vikram Paji (coaches of Rajasthan Royals). They are very very good cricketers. They don't just believe in making good cricketers but good human beings as well. It's very important to be a good human being," he added.

The former Punjab Kings captain added that IPL 2026 will present a challenge for Suryavanshi, as bowlers will be prepared to counter his style.

"I feel that the second year is gonna be a bit tough for him. Bowlers will know what his strength is. They are gonna plan better against him. He has to face those challenges and grow," said Dhawan.

"How he takes care of his mental health will be very important going forward because expectations will rise. The self-expectation will rise as well. How he is gonna handle all that stuff is what I am looking forward to seeing," he added.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi's IPL 2025 

Meanwhile, The 14-year-old was acquired by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore. During IPL 2025, he also showed his true mettle and hammered a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans.