Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: After Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s jaw-dropping performance in the U-19 World Cup final, former India spinner R Ashwin made a bold prediction about the teenager’s future, saying fans shouldn’t be shocked if he breaks into international cricket very soon.Reacting to Vaibhav’s final innings, Ashwin highlighted how extraordinary the knock really was.
“175 (80) in the U19 WC final, 15 fours and 15 sixes with 85.7% of his runs in boundaries. That’s absurd. This is a follow up to his 68(33) in the semis chasing a 300+ target. Vaibhav has owned the big stage like he’s born for it. A prodigy with serious big match temperament,” R Ashwin wrote on X.The 14-year-old left-hander tore into England’s bowling at Harare, smashing 175 runs from just 80 balls in the final. His innings included 15 fours and 15 sixes, with most of his runs coming in boundaries. India went on to post a massive 411 for 9, putting the match completely out of England’s reach.Ashwin also pointed to Vaibhav’s consistency throughout the tournament.“Overall Tournament numbers: Leader run getter with 439 runs at 62.71, SR 169.49. A T20 Strike rate of 170 is elite. 30 sixes overall and 78.35% of his runs in boundaries.“This kid is knocking on the doors of international cricket hard & fast. Post the T20 World Cup, don’t be surprised if that door opens.”Vaibhav’s rise has been rapid. He burst onto the scene as a 13-year-old with a century on his U-19 debut against Australia, then grabbed headlines in the IPL after being picked by Rajasthan Royals. On debut, he hit his very first ball for six and later smashed the second-fastest IPL century ever, announcing himself as a rare, fearless talent built for the biggest stages.
