Ishan Kishan reveals Team India's plan to protect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: 'We just make sure...'

Aditya Maheshwari

hindustantimes|27-07-2026

At just 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is already living every young cricketer's dream, but with that dream comes a whirlwind of attention, expectations, and noise. That's where Ishan Kishan steps in.

Coming from the same region as the teenage sensation, Kishan has naturally taken on the role of a big brother. After India's second T20I against Zimbabwe, he opened up about the team's conscious effort to shield Sooryavanshi from distractions.

"Vaibhav is actually very smart; he knows his game and how to conduct himself," Kishan said. "But because of where he comes from, there can be a lot of distractions friend circles, outside noise, social media. I know that world, so I try to ensure he doesn't fall into those thought processes."

Kishan explained that it's not just him; senior players like Abhishek Sharma and Axar Patel are all playing their part. "We just make sure that right now, he thinks as much as possible about cricket rather than what's happening on social media or letting his body language drop if he isn't scoring runs."

The wicketkeeper-batter stressed that the dressing room wants Sooryavanshi to enjoy his cricket without repeating the mistakes many youngsters make early in their careers. "He's like a brother to me. Our main focus is to keep him happy, focused on the important things, and ensure he doesn't get distracted for the wrong reasons."

With a blazing half-century already under his belt in Zimbabwe, it seems the approach is working.