Stunning! Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Compared With West Indies GOAT: 'The Violence...'

Former England batter Mark Butcher has made one of the most remarkable comparisons for India’s teenage sensation, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, likening his batting to West Indies legend Garfield ‘Garry’ Sobers. Butcher felt the ‘violence’, the ‘purity of the contact’, and the full swing of motion (straight up and spring back to the batter’s spine), in Sooryavanshi’s bat swing, which was astonishing to even realise.

Sobers is widely considered the greatest all-rounder and among the greatest cricketers ever, alongside Don Bradman. In 93 Tests, he scored 8032 runs at an average of 57.78, while also picking 235 wickets at 34.03. It was not just the stats — Sobers could do everything on the field, with all bowling styles under his armory, an adaptability

for all kinds of conditions, and an exceptional fielding ability.

Sooryavanshi, just 14 still, has made waves with his batting already. He’s the youngest to hold several records, and most recently scored a 175 in the Under-19 World Cup final against England. Facing bowlers four or five years his senior, Sooryavanshi’s was the highest score made in an ICC final among full-member nations, which includes men’s and women’s categories and all age groups.

“The first thing that flashed into my head was Garry Sobers,” Butcher told Wisden. “The violence in the bat swing and the timing and the purity of the contact, the hand speed, the way that he uses his legs in the ground, the way that the bat literally follows through all the way around until it slaps him in the middle of his back was pure Sobers.”

“And I would urge people from a different generation who don’t have that picture of Sir Garry in their mind’s eye to seek out the video of him hitting the six sixes off Malcolm Nash at Swansea and just watch, and I swear to God it looks exactly the same. It’s just astonishing to watch in terms of the way that he uses his legs to drive the bat swing and then the way that the bat swing just keeps going until it disappears and slaps him in the middle of his spine is just pure Sobers,” he added.

Sooryavanshi can also bowl! However, the diminutive teenager is only a part-time spin bowler and is still learning the art. Even doing a bit of justice to the Sobers comparisons could make for a successful career for the Bihar boy.