Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is edging closer to the India setup, and with an international call-up looming sooner rather than later, the teenager is now facing intense scrutiny. Big-stage cricket does not forgive mistakes, and even well-wishers want to see him develop fully\u2014across every discipline\u2014not just with the bat.<\/p>\n
So far, much of the talk around the 15-year-old has been positive. Fans and followers have highlighted his ability to clear the ropes with powerful six-hitting, and the idea that, on his best days, he can dismantle opponents quickly. The main question raised by critics has been slightly different: he doesn\u2019t always look like a naturally \u201ctextbook\u201d batter, and there are worries that he may be made to pay at certain points if his technique isn\u2019t refined.<\/p>\n
Now former India batter Mohammad Kaif has brought another element into the spotlight\u2014one that can be just as decisive as batting or bowling in T20 cricket: fielding. Kaif, known for his own standards in the field during his playing days, stressed that catching, stopping, and overall athleticism often determine whether a team wins or falls short.<\/p>\n
In what will come as a jolt for those backing Sooryavanshi, Kaif pointed out that he has not taken a single catch this season. He also criticised the young batter\u2019s overall fielding during Rajasthan Royals\u2019 defeat of Delhi Capitals on Sunday night at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, arguing that his contributions in the field have not matched the level expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s painful to watch the fielding in this IPL. Today, Yash Raj dropped KL [Rahul] when he was on zero. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi too misfielded. The young boy hasn\u2019t taken a catch this season. While playing for India, he needs to be sharper on the field. It is the duty of coaches to teach youngsters fielding skills. On their part, the boys should enjoy fielding and take pride in it,\u201d Kaif wrote on X.<\/p>\n
That is a blunt evaluation, and it is one the left-handed batter\u2014and those around him\u2014will have to take seriously as his prospects with India grow.<\/p>\n
Ravi Shastri, meanwhile, has urged selectors not to postpone Sooryavanshi\u2019s progression. The former India coach believes the youngster is already competing at the right intensity and has made a strong case based on current form.<\/p>\n
Sooryavanshi is currently part of the India A group, which is set to play an ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka next month. There is also growing indication that he could make his India debut against Ireland later in the same month, in the immediate window after the tri-series.<\/p>\n
Speaking recently, Shastri said he does not get hung up on age when assessing readiness, focusing instead on how the batter performs against top-level opposition.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people will ask, is he 15, is he 16, is he 14? I don\u2019t care. I just see the way he is batting at the moment and the way he\u2019s taking on all comers twice his age or maybe two and a half times his age. It doesn\u2019t matter to him,\u201d Shastri said on the latest episode of The ICC Review.<\/p>\n
He added that Sooryavanshi appears to be in the reckoning, particularly with India\u2019s upcoming tour of Ireland in June\u2014featuring two T20Is\u2014coming up shortly.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I think he\u2019s very, very much in the reckoning. And when you have tours of Ireland [in June for 2 T20Is] and all this happening now, I would be looking into him straight away,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Shastri also pointed to the nature of T20 cricket as the best pathway to bring a young talent into the setup quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can tell you that, for sure, because if you want to encourage or get someone young and into the setup as quickly as possible, then it\u2019s the T20 format of the game, and he is not short by any margin,\u201d Shastri added.<\/p>\n
To conclude, the former coach said the youngster\u2019s fearless energy is visible and could translate well across sides at the highest level.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis guy can walk into a lot of sides in world cricket at this current moment in time. Just when you look at the exuberance of youth, that youth shows on his face,\u201d Shastri said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is edging closer to the India setup, and with an international call-up looming sooner rather than later, the teenager is now facing intense…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10542,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL Watch: Kaif Warns Sooryavanshi Ahead of India Call-Up","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Kaif\u2019s warning to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi grows louder as India call-up nears\u2014can the teenager handle big-stage scrutiny and sharpen all-round skills?","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n