Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh has expressed his desire to mentor teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, highlighting that he sees him as a “serious player in the making”. Sooryavanshi has caught up everyone’s imagination with his insane stroke-making in the Indian Premier League and for India U19 and A side. He made his debut for the senior team during the recently concluded T20I series against England but is yet to repeat his IPL success in the short international stint.ย
Sooryavanshi was present with Yuvraj, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson for the Wimbledon 2026 final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev when the former cricketer expressed he wants to spend time with the 15-year-old. “I always call myself a Terminator. Now there is Terminator 4, Abhishek Sharma, who is four times better than me. And after him comes Terminator 6, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has evolved even more,” Yuvraj said on JioStar.
“I did my part in my time, Abhishek elevated it, and now Vaibhav is setting new standards. This is the third phase of the same journey. It is great to see the sport evolving. When I watch Sinner and Alcaraz, I see how tennis is changing.ย
“I see the same evolution in Abhishek and Vaibhav. I have spent a lot of time training Abhishek, and I would love to spend time with Vaibhav as well. He has a great career ahead of him. He is a serious player in the making, and I believe he will get there,” he added.
‘Yuvi Paaji is my idol’: Sooryavanshi on Yuvraj
Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi called Yuvraj his idol, reflecting on the first meeting with the former cricketer and what advice he shared to him. “Yuvi Paaji is my idol too. Meeting him for the first time was a special moment. I got to spend time with him, and he shared a lot of insights about the game. He spoke about the mental side of the game, how to handle pressure, and the importance of believing in yourself. It feels great to have so much to learn from someone like him. I am sure it will help me a lot in my career going forward,” Sooryavanshi said on the same show.
Abhishek speaks on watching SW19 final with Yuvi, Sooryavanshi
Meanwhile, Abhishek spoke on the feeling of watching the Wimbledon final with the other two Southpaws. “I can feel what Vaibhav is feeling right now because Yuvi Paaji is my idol as well. I remember when I first met him, it was kind of the same feeling that he’s feeling right now. So obviously, watching my first Wimbledon, and that too the finals, with Yuvi Paaji and Vaibhav, it’s a special day for me,” Abhishek said.
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