Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Clean Bowls England Great: "Hard To Prepare Against, He Is Almost Unplayable"
The first T20I between India and England will be played on Wednesday at Chester-le-Street, and anticipation is building around seeing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in Indian colours.
The first T20I between India and England will be played on Wednesday at Chester-le-Street, and anticipation is building around seeing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in Indian colours. The 15-year-old batting prodigy from Bihar has become a household name after his heroics in the IPL, U-19 cricket, and for India A. As a result, he was rewarded with his maiden international call-up for the T20I series against Ireland and England. However, Shreyas Iyer and Co. did not include Sooryavanshi in the Playing XI against Ireland, and India went on to suffer a humiliating 0-2 whitewash.
Ahead of the first T20I against England, former spinner Graeme Swann warned Harry Brook and Co. about Sooryavanshi's explosive potential, stating that it would be extremely difficult for them to prepare for him.
"It's hard to prepare for a player like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is still new to international cricket, but he has already played two IPL seasons. That means there is video footage available. Some of the England bowlers may have bowled to him in the IPL. But the truth is, no one has really had much success against him so far. He has looked almost unplayable," Swann said on JioStar.
Swann added that only one bowler from England's lineup might have a slight advantage over Sooryavanshi - Jofra Archer - as the pacer has spent significant time with the 15-year-old at Rajasthan Royals during the IPL.
"The one bowler who might have a slight advantage is Jofra Archer. He has seen Sooryavanshi from the dugout, bowled to him in the nets, and watched him closely. He has probably seen more of him than anyone else," he added.
Speaking about the opening T20I, India captain Shreyas Iyer refused to reveal whether the teenage sensation will make his international debut, but backed Sooryavanshi to shine whenever he gets his opportunity.
"You never know what is going to happen," he said in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. "Our hands are tied right now in terms of what we will do. This is private. It's something we discuss within the team. We can't reveal our combination to the opponents."
"Everyone on the team has performed. It's not just one person. We need to build confidence and provide chances for each player so that everyone feels good going into the tournaments. The players who helped India win the T20 World Cup understand the format; they have been essential. So, it's important to support them."
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Jofra Archer