Former India captain and chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar has lavished praise on 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, describing his shots as "unreal" and his batting as "unbelievable." Speaking exclusively to PTI during a tour with the Mumbai Cricket Association team to the UK, Vengsarkar expressed confidence that Sooryavanshi will seize his opportunity when he makes his debut on India's upcoming tour of Ireland, followed by England.
Vengsarkar on Sooryavanshi's Unique Batting
"I am sure he will get the opportunity, and once he gets it, he will grab it with both hands because he is a very good player. He is just unbelievable," Vengsarkar said. He highlighted Sooryavanshi's exceptional hand-eye coordination and bat swing, which allow him to clear the ground with ease. "Some of the shots he plays are unreal. His batsmanship is completely different. He can clear the ground with his bat swing and hand-eye coordination. In T20 format, he has been amazing," Vengsarkar added.
Potential in Longer Formats
When asked about Sooryavanshi's potential in Test cricket, Vengsarkar cautioned that it is too early to tell, as the youngster has primarily played in the T20 format. "It's very difficult to say because he is currently in the T20 format. I have not seen him play in a longer format. But I'm sure he will do well in that, once picked. We will have to wait and see how he plays in the longer format, which is very important," he explained.
Sachin Tendulkar as a Role Model
Vengsarkar drew parallels between Sooryavanshi and a young Sachin Tendulkar, emphasizing the importance of mental maturity and discipline. "When I watched Sachin Tendulkar play, he looked mentally matured for his age. He did extremely well in inter-school tournaments in Mumbai, besides club cricket where he scored consistently. He was mentally prepared to play a higher level of cricket, (so) that is how we picked him. He was so disciplined, passionate, and focused, and that is a great example for the youngsters like Vaibhav to emulate," Vengsarkar said.
Shreyas Iyer's Captaincy
Vengsarkar also backed Shreyas Iyer, who has taken charge of the Indian T20I side, praising his leadership style. "He (likes to) lead from the front as he is doing very well as a batsman, and that allows him to call the shots as a captain. He is a very thoughtful captain, and he will do well," Vengsarkar noted.
Opportunities for Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal
The former India skipper advocated for more Test opportunities for Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal, recalling their impressive partnership in the India-England Test match in Dharamsala a couple of years ago. "I was really impressed by Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal in the India-England Test match in Dharamsala a couple of years ago. They had an excellent partnership at a very crucial stage of the Test match. They showed excellent temperament and excellent technique," Vengsarkar said. He added, "Sarfaraz is a good player. There is no question about it. But you cannot take a place for granted and you have to be fit all the time."
Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma
On injured all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Vengsarkar said, "He (Pandya) knows his body very well; how he can utilise that (and) how he can bring the best from himself. It depends a lot on fitness and focus." Regarding Rohit Sharma's potential participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup, Vengsarkar deferred to the veteran batsman. "He (Rohit) has done so well for India and for himself. It's up to him. He's been playing international cricket for the last (almost) 20 years and I'm sure he knows the best (on) how to go about things," he added.
