Vaibhav Sooryavanshi been sensational, I'm glad that he has done well, says Sunil Joshi
Harare, July 24
India's stand-in bowling coach Sunil Joshi praised young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for his explosive start to the T20I series against Zimbabwe, adding that he was glad to see the teenager do well in the opening game at the Harare Sports Club.
Sooryavanshi's 18-ball fifty, laced with four boundaries and as many sixes, made him the youngest player to score a half-century in international cricket. His blitzkrieg reduced India's chase of 126 to a mere formality as the reigning T20 World Cup champions reached home with 40 balls remaining and take a 1-0 lead.
"I think the first thing is, let's focus on his batting. He's been sensational and I'm glad that he has done well. This is a hunting ground for him. He performed well in the U19 World Cup finals here. He had a good performance yesterday as well," Joshi told reporters in the pre-match press conference, ahead of the second T20I on Saturday.
He also revealed that some work will be put in on Sooryavanshi's bowling skills at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. "Vaibhav has been very comfortable with his batting. Whenever we get time in his bowling, I'll work with him in the CoE. Whenever we will see him bowling well, we'll definitely and quickly focus on that."
Addressing comparisons surrounding emerging seam-bowling all-rounder Suryansh Shedge, Joshi urged patience and persistence with young talents adapting to the demands of international T20 cricket.
"Look, we shouldn't compare. Suryansh is making his place in the Indian team. Hardik (Pandya) has made his place. Shivam (Dube) has also made his place. So, he's a rising talent. We have to persist with him. He's working on good things, and good areas. That's what we want in the T20 format."
Joshi also pointed out the spin-bowling capabilities offered by top-order batters like Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, though they haven't been used much at the international level. "I think all three are good bowlers and all-rounders, although Abhishek Sharma has improved a lot.
"The coaches always want him to improve every time for the better and Harsh Dubey has also performed well. We also have Tilak Verma with us. In fact, he's also another optional bowler. We have conversations with him about not giving too many runs, giving more dot balls, and focusing on the basics. That's it, very simple and just keep it simple."
— IANS
Reader Comments
So happy for Vaibhav! To break Sachin Tendulkar's record for youngest half-century in international cricket is no small feat. But let's not put too much pressure on him - Joshi's approach of focusing on basics is exactly what young players need. No need for unfair comparisons.
Impressive stuff from the youngster. That said, I hope the team management doesn't rush him into too many formats too quickly. The BCCI's Center of Excellence is a great idea for fine-tuning his bowling. Patience will pay off with talent like this.
Sunil Joshi's comments about not comparing Suryansh Shedge with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube are spot on. Every player has their own journey. Vaibhav's explosive batting is exciting, but let him develop at his own pace. Building bench strength is key for India's dominance! 👏
Good to see Indian cricket's pipeline producing talent like Sooryavanshi. The emphasis on developing his bowling at the CoE shows smart planning. But I'm curious - with so many batting options already offering spin, how many bowling changes will they actually give him?
What a find! Vaibhav's U19 World Cup final heroics in the same venue was a sign of things to come. The way he smashed that 18-ball fifty shows he has the temperament for big stages. Joshi's approach to keep things simple is perfect for young players. More power to him! 💪
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