'Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is extraordinary…': Harbhajan Singh

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Former Team India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has heaped praise on rising star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He said that the left-handed batsman is extraordinary and has not seen a player who can dominate the world at such a young age.

“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is extraordinary. He is a unique player. I have not seen a player like him before, one who can dominate the world at 14-15 years of age,” he said.

The former cricketer feels that the only way to survive against the Bihar-born cricketer is to attack and dismiss him.

“When the world’s top bowlers are bowling to him, they are actually thinking about where to bowl. That itself is a big, big statement. The only way to survive is to attack him. You go at him and you take his wicket,” said Harbhajan.

“It may not work all the time. Sometimes you might even get smashed. He would’ve hit sixes. But that is part of the game. You have to accept that he’s good,” he added.

When asked how he would bowl to Sooryavanshi during a powerplay, the former spinner said that he would set his fielders according to his bowling and not how the left-handed batsman is batting.

“I won’t set the field according to what he’s doing. I’ll set the field according to what I’m doing. If I bowl to escape, I won’t be able to get him out. You go at him and you take his wicket. You might get success, you might not. That’s just a matter of time. You have to accept that he’s good. But still, the next ball should be about how to get him out,” said the 46-year-old former cricketer.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s recent outings

Earlier, he made his debut at the age of 15 during the T20I series against England. In the series against the “Three Lions”, Sooryavanshi didn’t manage to touch the 20-run mark in three innings. The “Men in Blue” suffered a loss by 1-4 in the series.

Later, he had successful outings during the tour to Zimbabwe. He topped the run-charts with 151 runs in three innings with two fifties at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 196.10, including a knock of 81. He secured the ‘Player of the Series’ award as Team India sealed the first series under newly-appointed T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer after losses to Ireland and England.

So far, donning the Indian T20I colours in six matches, he has garnered 193 runs. With a top score of 81 runs, the left-handed batsman has also registered two half-centuries.

Ahead of the Duleep Trophy of the 2026-27 domestic season, wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan has been appointed as captain of East Zone. Teen star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been appointed as Kishan’s deputy.

(With Inputs from Agencies)

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