U19 World Cup: Unstoppable Suryavanshi gets a global stage
14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a rising star in Indian cricket, showcases immense talent and composure ahead of the U19 World Cup.
New Delhi: Every two years, Indian cricket finds itself placing faith in a teenager who appears untouched by expectation. This year, it will be the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He may not have played a World Cup, but is already familiar with the limelight, expectations and responsibility.
Several players return with performances to remember but are often unable to sustain that level and fizzle out. The expectation from Suryavanshi is slightly different because he has already been tested by fame, glamour and pressure. And he is soaking in what the game has to offer and getting better.
“He never took pressure,” his childhood coach Manish Ojha told HT. “From a very early age, he always saw cricket as just a game.”
That mindset has defined Suryavanshi’s rise. Since his 35-ball century for Rajasthan Royals in IPL last year – he became the youngest to score a ton in men’s T20 – he has only got better. And he continues to make waves in domestic cricket as well. He has scored 701 runs in 18 matches (avg 41.23) in T20s, 353 runs in eight matches (avg 44.12) in List A and 207 runs in eight matches (avg 17.25) in first-class cricket. He has five centuries across Youth Tests and ODIs, showing that no bowling line-up or format is daunting enough.
Over the past year with the U19 team, on tours of England, Australia, South Africa, and in home assignments, his approach has remained consistent. He doesn’t ease his way into innings or wait for bowlers to err. He takes them on before the opposition even settles down.
In the recent series in South Africa, he hit the fastest fifty in youth ODIs, off 15 balls in the second game in Benoni. In the third match, he hit a 127 off 74 balls. In the first World Cup warm-up match against Scotland, he smashed 96 off 50.
“He’s playing in such a way now that the team depends on him,” Ojha said. “He dominates the bowlers and snatches the game early, putting the opposition on the back foot.”
The coach traces the first clear sign of his gift to 2022, when Ojha opened a new ground at the GenNex academy in Sampatchak, Patna and organised a match featuring senior state players. Suryavanshi, then only 11, was asked to play alongside them. He responded with 118 runs. Flat sixes flew 75 to 80 metres against bowlers who were older, stronger and experienced. His father was watching the game.
“That day, I told his father that Vaibhav was ready for the big stage,” Ojha recalls.
Soon after, Suryavanshi featured in Bihar’s senior inter-district tournaments, scoring heavily with intent.
In YODIs alone he has hit 80 sixes and 75 fours. The ease with which he clears the ropes today, however, was built long before his body allowed it. As a young boy, Suryavanshi would face 400 to 500 deliveries a day in training, practicing cuts, pulls, lofted shots and step-outs.
“At that time, the focus was only on technique and process,” his coach said. “The ball wouldn’t go far, just 30-yards maybe, but the shot-making was correct.”
As he grew taller and stronger, off the same shots the ball began disappearing into the stands. Excellent hand-eye coordination, a quality back lift and repetition ensured that his game, honed with vigorous training, set him apart from his peers.
Equally distinct is how he handles the big moments. That temperament will be tested at the U19 World Cup. Suryavanshi’s early career trajectory though suggests he is ready. Centuries continue to flow, so does the trust in him. “The World Cup is a huge platform,” his coach said. “If he continues this, I believe he will be part of the senior India team very soon.”
Ojha sent an important reminder to Suryavanshi. That talent alone is never enough. “I remind him that there are many players in this country. Legends like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Kapil Dev come once in a while. You have the opportunity to join the list.”
