Intro
Sangakkara backs teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi to conquer international cricket with fearless confidence always.
Bengaluru
Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has all the qualities to become a dominant force in Indian and world cricket, according to former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, who revealed how Rajasthan Royals first spotted the youngster and nurtured his remarkable talent.
Sangakkara recalled the moment Rajasthan Royals realised they had discovered a rare talent.
He said the franchise’s analyst alerted them in 2023 about a gifted 12-year-old from Bihar. Initially sceptical, the Royals invited Vaibhav for a trial, where then head coach Rahul Dravid was immediately convinced after watching him bat for just a few minutes.
Sangakkara also remembered a training session in Guwahati when Vaibhav confidently volunteered to face the new-ball attack of Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma. The youngster struck the pacers fearlessly, leaving even Archer smiling in disbelief.
Highlighting Vaibhav’s extraordinary self-belief, Sangakkara narrated an incident from the IPL season before Rajasthan Royals’ match against Lucknow Super Giants. The teenager confidently assured his coach the chase was “done” and even predicted he would smash 13 sixes. Although he eventually hit 10 maximums, his confidence left teammates amazed.
Sangakkara believes Vaibhav possesses the temperament to handle the fame that accompanies success at such a young age. He credited Rajasthan Royals for carefully managing the youngster’s development while ensuring he remains grounded.
“He loves batting more than the fame that comes with it. He is curious, humble and mentally very strong. I have no doubt he will become a force in Indian cricket, world cricket and franchise cricket,” Sangakkara said.
Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik echoed those sentiments, describing Vaibhav as a once-in-a-generation talent who has passed every challenge placed before him.
Karthik noted that after excelling in age-group cricket, the teenager dominated the IPL and proved himself in high-pressure knockout matches against some of the world’s best bowlers, including Pat Cummins.
He also praised Vaibhav’s natural batting technique and urged future coaches not to alter his distinctive bat swing, comparing the need to preserve his style with India’s decision to retain Jasprit Bumrah’s unconventional bowling action.
Karthik added that even experienced bowlers struggled to find a weakness in Vaibhav during the IPL, describing him as one of the toughest batters to bowl to because of his power, balance and ability to rotate strike as well as clear the boundary with ease.
