“He’s a great player. I watched him during the Under-19s. It’s not always easy to maintain the same standards once you’ve tasted IPL and big-league cricket. But I was very impressed with how he played in that World Cup-very professional. He’s incredibly mature for his age,” de Villiers remarked in a chat with Jitesh on his YouTube channel.

“I’m talking about the way he played. He stuck to his game plan. He played the same way he did in the IPL. He didn’t try to be someone else. He wasn’t arrogant against the bowlers. But he will become professional,” he added.

‘Don’t eat ice cream at night’

Responding in the negative, Jitesh raised eyebrows as he claimed that Sooryavanshi was far out from being a disciplined cricketer off the field.

“He’s still a baby and he’s not professional that I can tell you,” Jitesh responded with a chuckle.

“Everyone is trying to get him to be professional, but I don’t think he ever will be, at least not off the field. On the field, maybe. I’m trying my best. I ask him not to have ice cream at night, but he never listens,” Jitesh added.

Sooryavanshi, will however, trim his focus on bludgeoning the big boys yet again when he gears up to open the batting for Rajasthan, starting April 30, against the Chennai Super Kings.