HARARE — Stand-in head coach VVS Laxman highly commended the tactical maturity of 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after his explosive yet calculated 81 off just 49 balls guided India to a clinical Twenty20 international series sweep against Zimbabwe. The teenage opener tempered his natural aggressive instincts on a sluggish surface, hammering eight boundaries and four sixes to propel the visitors to a formidable total of 192-5. In response, Zimbabwe’s batting lineup fell apart under pressure and was restricted to 157-7, allowing India to seal a dominant 3-0 series victory on Sunday. Laxman, who took temporary charge of the national squad for the African tour while main coach Gautam Gambhir rested, praised Sooryavanshi’s analytical mindset, noting that the young left-hander rigorously reviews both his competitive matches and private net sessions to constantly refine his game.
Sooryavanshi, who initially shot to global prominence with a string of fearless, high-impact performances for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, recently made history by becoming the youngest player ever to represent India at the senior level during a tour against England earlier this month. His initial taste of international cricket was bruising, as he managed just 42 runs across three innings during India’s heavy 4-0 defeat in England and a prior 2-0 loss in Ireland. However, Laxman emphasized that the teenager’s elite attitude allowed him to bounce back brilliantly in Zimbabwe. Despite the young batsman being visibly disappointed at missing out on a maiden international century, Laxman reassured him that he possesses a long, promising career ahead and the ideal mindset to evolve into a world-class staple for Indian cricket.
