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India's 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshifinally made his much-awaited international debut in the second T20I against England in Manchester on July 04. Although the youngster managed only 14 runs, he showed glimpses of his immense talent before England registered a four-wicket victory to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel showered praise on the teenage prodigy, stating that the cricketing world had eagerly awaited his debut and
expressing confidence that Sooryavanshi has a bright future ahead.
Speaking after the match, Patel said the youngster's fearless approach was enough to underline why he is regarded as one of India's most exciting prospects.
"The whole cricketing world was waiting for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's debut. He got his chance here in Manchester against England at the age of 15, becoming the youngest player ever to debut for India, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record. This is a huge moment. As a player, you dream of representing your country. And when it happens, it is a surreal feeling. Talking about his knock, he played some good shots and missed a few too, but that's fine. I'm not worried about the 14 runs he managed to score. We all saw that flick shot off Jofra Archer, we know what he is capable of. The sky is the limit for him. He is going to score a lot of runs and win a lot of hearts. It's rare to see a player carry so much expectations, but Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has done exactly that," he said on JioHotstar's Match Centre Live.
Despite the modest score, Patel highlighted that Sooryavanshi's confidence and strokeplay offered enough evidence of his potential, adding that the youngster is destined to achieve bigger milestones in Indian cricket.
Deep Dasgupta raises concerns over India's bowling combination
While praising England's successful chase, former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta felt India's bowling attack lacked balance, especially after opting to field just two specialist seamers alongside all-rounder Shivam Dube.
Dasgupta suggested India should rethink their team combination for the remainder of the series, even if it means compromising slightly on batting depth to strengthen the pace attack.
"The main concern for India has been their bowling combination. When you go in with only two seamers plus Shivam Dube, and if one of them has an off day, you are left with very few options. You don't have a like-for-like replacement in the middle overs, and the opposition can target the weaker links. I think this is something the team needs to look at. They should consider going with three seamers instead of two plus Shivam Dube. The other couple of questions the team needs to answer is whether they really need three spinners and whether they can afford to play an extra seamer. That might mean they have to sacrifice a bit of batting depth. But in conditions where pace and bounce matter more, that could be a risk worth taking. So yes, some tough decisions need to be made," said the former wicketkeeper on the same show.
With England taking the early advantage in the series, India will now have to regroup quickly before the third T20I, with the team management likely to assess both the bowling combination and overall balance as they look to bounce back.
