Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is poised to make his much-anticipated international debut for India in the first T20I of the ongoing five-match series against England. The 15-year-old prodigy has been the talk of the cricketing world after a stellar second season in the TATA IPL, and experts believe he is ready to shine on the global stage.
Saba Karim's First Encounter with Sooryavanshi
Speaking on JioStar's 'Game Plan', former India wicketkeeper and JioStar expert Saba Karim recalled when he first heard about Sooryavanshi. Karim explained why he was confident the youngster would not only succeed in his second IPL season but also pass the international test with flying colours.
"I didn't expect him to score in his very first year. But before last season's IPL, I remember getting a lot of videos from all his coaches, Manish Ojha from the Patna academy, our Bhojpuri commentator Robin, and a few others, saying, 'Sir, you have to watch him. He's a kid, but he has great timing.' When he was bought in the auction, I was just hoping that he would get a chance to play at least once because I wanted the world to see that India now has such a talented player. Just imagine, you're playing your first match on such a big platform, up against a top-quality bowler who has played for India. He had no baggage whatsoever. The first ball he faced, he completely dismissed the bowler from his sight. This is what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is all about," Karim said.
No Second-Season Blues
Karim expressed strong belief that Sooryavanshi would avoid the so-called "second-season blues" that often plague young players after a breakout debut. "Even after he scored that record 170-odd in the Under-19 World Cup final, everybody still felt that in the second season, it was possible that bowlers would come with definite plans against him and cause him problems, targeting his body and identifying areas to trouble him. But I didn't feel that he would have second-season blues. I felt that he was well prepared, and he batted in the same way. I remember having a chat with Vikram Rathour, who is the batting coach at Rajasthan Royals, where I asked him if Vaibhav could find it challenging against top-quality bowling or short-pitched deliveries at 145-150 clicks. He said, 'Saba, just wait and watch.' I think he is equally prepared to handle any kind of delivery," Karim added.
What Sets Sooryavanshi Apart
According to Karim, Sooryavanshi's ability to quickly assess bowlers' plans and adapt his game is what makes him stand out at such a young age. "That kind of preparation is what he has done. That's why this year we have seen him start to play the upper cut against shorter deliveries, hit through the covers with a strong base, go over long-off, over cover, and play inside-out shots. All these shots that he has added to his scoring repertoire mean that now, whatever the conditions are, whatever the bowling attack is, he is ready," Karim said.
Future Across All Formats
Karim is confident that Sooryavanshi will soon represent India in all three formats. "In my opinion, in the history of the IPL, perhaps after that season of Virat Kohli when he scored so many runs, if one season has to be defined, it is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's IPL, IPL 2026. The kind of performances he has put in against top-quality bowlers, even though in Indian conditions, have been top-notch. I have full faith in his ability to score big runs. Not only Indian fans but the entire world is waiting to see Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play in the same manner that he did in the IPL. I have high hopes for this young lad. Very soon, we will see him in all three formats. I am dead sure about it," Karim concluded.
