The entire cricketing world is riding on the Vaibhav Sooryavanshi bandwagon. His exploits have not only captivated the imagination of India, but have also crossed shores, with Australia captain Pat Cummins confessing he’s his new favourite player and Michael Vaughan time and again nudging the BCCI to give the lad his India cap. Honestly, Michael, you don’t need to anymore. If reports are to be believed, the 15-year-old is on his way to representing the senior Indian men’s team in Ireland. Ajit Agarkar’s BCCI selection committee has already lined Sooryavanshi up for his debut for the two matches on June 26 and 28 in Dublin.
Having said that, Sooryavanshi has a lot to learn, starting with the advice Krunal Pandya shared. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder feels that, as promising as the left-handed opener is, there’s one aspect he needs to work on. Krunal’s remarks aren’t only reserved for Sooryavanshi, but also for another aspiring young batter, Priyansh Arya. He may not be in the top 10 in the Orange Cap leaderboard, but with 254 runs from six innings at an average of 42.33 and a strike rate of 249, including a best of 93 against the Lucknow Super Giants, the 24-year-old is making the right noises. However, Krunal’s advice could serve as the gold standard for Vaibhav and Priyansh.
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“While growing up, patience came first for me. Fearlessness was built over time. This generation players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Priyansh Arya are already fearless but they need to build patience,” Pandya said on JioStar’s ‘The Krunal Pandya Experience’.
Should Vaibhav Sooryavanshi be left alone?
Krunal raises a very valid point. While Sooryavanshi has ticked most boxes expected from a budding 15-year-old – scoring centuries in England, Australia, and South Africa, winning the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year and excelling in the Indian Premier League – Sooryavanshi’s next big test lies in how he fares for India. He is easily India’s fastest rising talent – arguably the most exciting prodigy this country has seen since the great Sachin Tendulkar – and for all you know, his second-to-none batting could be a sign of bigger things to come. However, only after Sooryavanshi or Arya is tried against stiffer, more challenging opposition will their real calibre come to the fore.
There is no denying the fact that both are rulers of T20 cricket, but with the advent of superstardom that awaits Sooryavanshi, only time will tell whether Pandya’s bird’s eye view holds substance.