 "Vaibhav Suryavanshi is even becoming opponents' favourite because of his sensational batting at 14. Image: BCCI")
Indian cricket’s youngest batting sensation, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi , is not only winning matches but also winning hearts in the opposition camp. Ahead of their Asia Cup Rising Stars clash against India A, Oman players Aryan Bisht and Samay Shrivastava openly praised the teen prodigy and said they are excited to finally face him on the field.
Vaibhav has been in unbelievable form in this tournament. He smashed a record 144 against the UAE in the opening game and followed it up with a solid 45 against Pakistan Shaheens. India A won the first match but suffered a big defeat against Pakistan in the second. Still, Vaibhav’s fearless hitting has become the main talking point of the event.
Oman players in awe of Suryavanshi
Speaking to the Times of India, Oman batter Aryan Bisht said he couldn’t believe how someone so young could hit the ball so hard. He further expressed excitement to finally meet Suryavanshi in person after seeing him on TV for the past year. The Indian batter became a household name earlier this year after making his debut for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. He scored the second-fastest century in the league’s history in just his third game of the season.
“We’ve only seen Vaibhav Suryavanshi on TV, and now we’ll be playing against him. When you’re 14 and you’re able to hit the ball that far, that’s just exceptional talent. It’s something not everybody can do — definitely something I couldn’t do at that age. 14 saal ke ho, kaise maarte ho ye chakke? [At 14, how are you smashing those sixes?] He’s really talented and very good, so I’m really looking forward to playing against him,” Aryan told TOI.
His teammate Samay Shrivastava also echoed the excitement. “It’s a great opportunity to meet him. I just want to know his mindset about cricket. He’s only 14 and he’s already doing so well for his cricket and for India. I definitely want to meet him — the way he hits those big sixes is extraordinary. I really want to meet him and talk to him,” Samay said.
Quick Reads
View AllBefore coming into this tournament, Suryavanshi was making waves in England and Australia with the India Under-19 team. He even struck the fastest ever Youth ODI century against England U19. Suryavanshi was recently named the vice-captain of the Bihar Ranji Trophy team. His rapid rise in cricket across formats is a testament to the talent he possesses at this tender age.