Mumbai: Every time Vaibhav Sooryavanshi steps on to the field, he is a marked man. It is due to rapidly built reputation as a destroyer of bowling attacks. His explosive batting can play on the nerves of the opposition bowlers and fielders, leading them to target him with verbal volleys.
It happens with all top players, the opposition uses every trick to unsettle the batter, break his concentration. It was tried against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, but the words were shaken off like water off the duck’s back. When it didn’t work, the opposition stopped trying this tactic to distract.
Once the opposition sense they can get under a player’s skin, there will be no end to it.
Everywhere he playings, Sooryavanshi is the talk of the cricketing circles. In the last fortnight, it has been Sri Lanka.
Sooryavanshi was on the India A tour for a one-day tri-series. He finished off the tour with a stunning 94 off 29 balls in Sunday’s final win, in the process smashing the fastest List A half-century, off 11 balls.
The tour also witnessed the fragile side of the youngster. He reacted to provocation and got involved in a scrap with the Sri Lanka A players at the end of a group fixture last week.
The incident only showed that from here on his challenges will only increase as he steps into the international arena. Coping with the extra pressure and handling himself calmly in the heat of the battle will be important to realise his full potential.
Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga knows best how to channel aggression while engaging with the opposition.
“Everyone should realise that he is a 15-year-old kid and kids do make some mistakes. It is very important for him to be guided by senior cricketers, BCCI and his parents. I am sure he will come alright,” said Ranatunga. “I have only watched a few clips of his batting, but heard that a lot of people are talking very highly of him. The Indian media is putting a lot of pressure on him, it’s better to leave him (alone) to enjoy life, he is a kid.”
Ranatunga’s run-ins on the field with the Australia players is part of cricketing folklore. For him it was about protecting his players. He would get under the skin of the opposition without losing composure.
“You need to have a little aggression when you play international cricket, I am sure that quality will be there. It’s all about taking the step back at the right time, performing at the right time,” said the man seen as the most influential Sri Lankan cricketer.
He said the onus will be on the seniors in the India team to protect the teen prodigy from opposition barbs. “It is up to the seniors to guide him. He should be (treated like) a kid in the side and should be protected. Let the seniors take over sledging and aggression in a different way. I am sure it will happen when he plays for India. When it comes to international cricket, it is a different ball game, it is not like playing franchise or junior cricket. (Just) allow him to be a child and enjoy his cricket. The senior coaches will work on his technique to succeed in all formats.”