The youngster scored 68 off just 24 deliveries.
Another day, another instance of the cricketing world being left in a jaw-dropped state due to the heroics of Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The 14-year-old prodigy is already leading the Indian U19 side on the tour to South Africa as a part of a five-match ODI series. In the second YODI, the youngster slammed a 24-ball 68, which helped the Indian side chase the target with eight wickets in hand.
That being said, there was something special about the way Vaibhav Suryavanshi batted in the second YODI. Or not, because that is how he usually goes about his business. The youngster scored 10 sixes en route to his 68, and a solitary boundary as well. This meant that 64 out of his total runs of 68 came via boundaries. The youngster is truly one of the most exciting prospects going around in Indian cricket.
And that is not it! Vaibhav Suryavanshi hit a maximum over the head of the cover point fielder, in an almost cross-batted shot. The incident occurred on the third delivery of the fifth over of the second innings. The ball was pitched short outside off and slightly swung away from Suryavanshi. The 14-year-old cut the ball over cover point, which eventually went away for a maximum.
The shot which was executed by Suryavanshi requires a lot of core strength, and is testament to his power hitting abilities. Right from when he burst onto the scene in the Indian Premier League (IPL), there were no doubts about his ability to hit the long ball. His aggression at the top of the order has been a delight to watch in the recent past.
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The near future for the left-handed opener holds a lot of 50-over matches, including the three remaining YODIs, as well as the all-important U19 ODI World Cup 2026, which commences from January 15. Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be one of the most important players for India on the road to their title run. Skipper Ayush Mhatre will join the team ahead of the mega-event and has been sidelined due to an injury.
That being said, the 14-year-old left-handed opener has given enough reasons to prove that he needs to be elevated at a higher stage. His performances showcase that he is too good for the U19 level. A lot of experts and former players have been vocal about the need to bring him into the white-ball setups for the senior side. That being said, it will have to be seen when that happens.
In just 18 T20s so far, the young prodigy has scored 701 runs at a strike-rate of more than 200, which is humongous for a batter at any position in the batting order. To add to that, he has scored three centuries and a fifty already in the shortest format of the game. He has also got a hundred and a fifty in eight YODIs at a strike-rate of 164.95.
One thing about Vaibhav Suryavanshi which can act against him would be his style of play. There have been numerous instances in the game which have seen a player’s strengths being converted into weaknesses. Over a period of time, Suryavanshi will have to find a way to dig deep and stay out in the middle as well. But for the near future, it is fireworks guaranteed.
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