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Former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh, known for his blunt honesty, has issued a reality check to emerging youngsters like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Yograj Singh fires stern warning to IPL emerging stars
While the tournament produced a thrilling showcase of youthful talent, Yograj cautioned against overhyping white-ball success without due focus on the rigors of red-ball cricket. Speaking in an interview with InsideSport, he emphasized that surviving the challenges of Test cricket is the true measure of a cricketer’s quality.
Yograj’s message alludes to the fact that budding cricketers should be wooed away with the glamour of IPL cricket instead they should look forward to making themselves better Test cricketer as well. He further criticized the growing trend of players focusing solely on IPL and T20s, noting with concern.
“My vision is Test cricket. Can you survive five days? That’s the real test. 50 overs – fair enough. 20 overs – fair enough. I don’t go by these formats. But since they (formats) are there, you should be fit enough to play all three formats. Why do you struggle? Because you are only concentrating on T20, IPL and 50 overs. Aaj toh 50 overs bhi nahi khel sakte hum log (Today, we cannot even play 50 overs.) “That’s the way we are,” Yograj said.
Yograj’s no-nonsense advice: Build fitness and not just fame
For Yograj, the message to these young stars is clear: build fitness that can last five-day matches, not just fitness that lasts twenty overs. Drawing from his own journey and that of his son Yuvraj Singh, Yograj criticized the current cricketing ecosystem, which he believes has grown too comfortable and convenience-driven. “All the coaches and all the administrators want to sit in the air conditioning and do things. Here, I am under 48 degrees Celsius, having a passion to produce more brilliant cricketers like Yuvraj Singh,”
This comment served as a jibe at current coaching practices, where Yograj feels physical and mental toughness is no longer prioritized the way it used to be. His statements were not meant to belittle white-ball cricket, but rather to highlight that T20 glory must not distract from developing the grit required for the red-ball game.
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Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre ready for U-19 England tour
Among the brightest revelations of IPL 2025 was Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old prodigy who represented Rajasthan Royals (RR). Despite being the youngest ever to feature in the IPL, he impressed cricketing circles with remarkable composure and fearless batting. In just seven matches, Suryavanshi racked up 252 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of 206.56, including a jaw-dropping century against Gujarat Titans (GT) that left seasoned bowlers stunned.
Suryavanshi has also begun making strides in red-ball cricket behind the scenes. In a recent red-ball practice match at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, he scored a blazing 190 off just 90 balls, showcasing his adaptability and hunger to succeed across formats. He has since been named in India’s U-19 squad for their upcoming tour of England, which will be led by Mhatre, who recently showcased his batting talent for Chennai Super Kings in the same 2025 edition by playing some great knocks for his franchise.
The tour will include a 50-over warm-up match, followed by a five-match Youth ODI series, and concludes with two multi-day Youth Tests. The schedule begins on June 27 and wraps up with the second Youth Test at Chelmsford on July 20, giving Suryavanshi the opportunity to test himself in English conditions, one of the most challenging environments for young batters.
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