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‘Terminator 6’: After Abhishek Sharma, Yuvraj Singh sets his sights on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

After shaping Abhishek Sharma, Yuvraj Singh now wants to mentor Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling the 15-year-old a star in the making.

Updated on: Jul 13, 2026, 16:17:02 IST
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After nurturing Abhishek Sharma to rousing success, Yuvraj Singh has expressed interest in taking another promising Indian youngster under his wing. None other than Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has taken world cricket by storm. Arguably the most exciting young cricketer in the game today, the 15-year-old became the youngest player to represent the Indian men's team earlier this month. Sooryavanshi made his debut against England but, after scores of 14, 13 and 15, was dropped from the Playing XI. His replacement, Sanju Samson, also failed to make an impact as India slumped to a 0-4 defeat.

Yuvraj Singh, left, wants to mentor Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, middle (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi/Instagram)
Yuvraj Singh, left, wants to mentor Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, middle (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi/Instagram)

Yuvraj, who attended the 2026 men's singles final at Wimbledon alongside Abhishek and Sooryavanshi, referred to the trio as the "Terminators". Impressed by the teenager's talent, the two-time World Cup winner is eager to spend time with Sooryavanshi and mentor him to greater heights.

The Terminators

"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. 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,” Yuvraj said while speaking to JioStar.

“It is great to see the sport evolving. When I watch Sinner and Alcaraz, I see how tennis is changing. 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."

Sooryavanshi was on Cloud Nine seeing Yuvraj accompany him to the All-England Club. "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," said Sooryavanshi.

Abhishek felt the same.

"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," he said.

  • Aditya Bhattacharya
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Aditya Bhattacharya

    Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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