Vaibhav Sooryavanshi drew attention in India’s net session in Ranchi ahead of the second T20I against West Indies on Thursday, with the 15-year-old’s batting standing out as India prepared for the match.
The series has moved on from Lucknow, where India opened with an emphatic win over West Indies built on Shreyas Iyer’s maiden T20I century. The Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium in Ranchi, the home city of MS Dhoni, will host the contest, which starts at 7:00 PM IST.
Sooryavanshi was in eye-catching form.
During training, the left-hander looked in red-hot touch as India geared up for the second T20I. He kept sending the bowlers over the ropes with ease.
He also used his feet well, stepping out before muscling the ball hard. A video of his work in the nets quickly spread on social media.
The key question is whether he gets a chance.
Sooryavanshi appeared to be making a strong push for India’s playing XI. His net display suggested he is ready, though that does not guarantee a spot.
Before the series, captain Shreyas said the youngster would get his turn and that India would stick for now with the Sanju Samson-Abhishek Sharma opening pair. If that remains the case, Sooryavanshi could end up on the bench again in Ranchi.
His recent T20 form has been a mixed bag.
Sooryavanshi did not have an ideal tour of England, where he made his T20I debut. He followed that with a strong series against Zimbabwe.
Across three T20Is against Zimbabwe, he scored 151 runs and picked up the Player of the Series award. That return is why he remains part of the selection debate as he waits for a regular opening.
