Vaibhav should bleed blue soon: Sooryavanshi's coach

RR’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during his 29-ball 97 against SRH in Mullanpur on Thursday. Pic/PTI

Voices are fast growing for Rajasthan Royals boy wonder Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to be picked for Team India. With two IPL centuries to his name in just 22 games, Sooryavanshi, 15, scored a 29-ball 97 as RR eliminated Sunrisers Hyderabad at New Chandigarh, on Wednesday. The left-handed opener is the top run-getter in IPL-19, scoring 680 runs in 15 innings at an impressive strike rate of 242.85, hammering a record 65 sixes and 55 fours en route.

Sooryavanshi's coach Manish Ojha insists that his ward has fulfilled all the parameters to be picked for India's upcoming tour to Ireland (two T20Is on June 26 and 28) and England (five T20Is on July 1, 4, 7, 9, 11).

Manish Ojha, Vinayak Samant and Jatin Paranjape

"Vaibhav should be given a chance for India's T20I tours to Ireland and England. He is consistently scoring runs in the IPL and has single-handedly helped the Indian team win the U-19 World Cup. Before that, he did exceedingly well during the India U-19 team's South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia tour. He replicated that performance during the Asia Cup Rising Stars also. The only platform that is left now is the Team India stage and he has fulfilled all the parameters needed to merit that India blue jersey," Ojha told mid-day over the phone from Patna on Thursday.

Vinayak Samant, who guided Sooryavanshi's state team Bihar to the Ranji Trophy Plate group final last season, also reckons the teenager deserves an India cap.

"Vaibhav has proved his mettle by scoring against all the top bowlers in the world at this IPL. He deserves an India chance. He's a consistent and fearless match-winner. He should be picked for the Ireland and England T20I series, as it will help him learn to play in swinging conditions," Samant
told mid-day.

After the IPL, Sooryavanshi's next assignment is with India ‘A' for a one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka beginning on June 9 (Afghanistan is the third team).

Former national selector Jatin Paranjape believes that such is Sooryavanshi's impact that bowlers are scared to try anything different against him. "I feel that the bowlers are lacking in their plans [to counter Sooryavanshi]. They have not been able to identify any areas [where they should bowl him]. I feel they are scared to try anything because even mishits are going for a six," Paranjape told mid-day on Thursday, adding that even he feels that the youngster should play for the Indian team soon.

"There is no harm in picking him [for India]. If somebody is batting so brilliantly, then his age should not come in the way," said Paranjape, who is currently a BCCI Cricket Advisory Committee member.

90km
Distance Sooryavanshi travelled from home in Samastipur to Patna for practice every other day

242.85
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's strike-rate in the ongoing edition - the first player to score 600-plus runs (680) in a T20 tournament at a strike-rate of 200 or more

8
No. of sixes smashed by Sooryavanshi in the Powerplay on Wednesday - the most by any player in IPL

12
No. of sixes hit by Sooryavanshi on Wednesday - the most by a batter in IPL Playoffs

3
No. of times Sooryavanshi has hit 10 or more sixes in an innings in the ongoing IPL - the most by any batter in a single IPL edition

3
No. of times Sooryavanshi has finished his IPL innings with a strike-rate above 300 (minimum 50 runs) - the most by any batter in IPL

680
Total number of runs scored by Sooryavanshi in the ongoing IPL - the most by an uncapped player in a single IPL edition

334.48
Sooryavanshi's strike-rate during his 97 off 29-ball vs SRH on Wednesday - highest by any player who has scored 90 or more runs in an IPL innings

1
Wednesday's victory is RR's first win over SRH after losing six successive matches since 2023