Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has highlighted the challenges for Vaibhav Suryavanshi against Mumbai Indians. Pathan said the youngster should be ready for the fuller length deliveries, slower balls, and variations in line against MI.

The prodigy batter will have his work cut out against Jasprit Bumrah as the MI pacer is one of the best in the business. Suryavanshi scored 52 runs off just 17 balls against Chennai Super Kings in the opening clash. Furthermore, he scored 31 runs off 18 balls against Gujarat Titans in the last game.

Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “Vaibhav should be ready for two things. First, the fuller line and length that comes at the stumps, and secondly, there will be a lot of use of slow balls, and along with that, regular changes in line will be seen. So the question is, is Vaibhav ready for this?”

Pathan said Suryavanshi should not only wait for short deliveries against MI.

“But before that, about Vaibhav, I want to say this. He shouldn’t just wait for the short ball. Because a certain situation will develop. You have Bumrah, you have Corbin Bosch, or Trent Boult, whoever plays. Then, if Hardik is fit, he is another option who bowls bouncers. In many junior cricket matches, whenever Vaibhav went out, even in the World Cup, bowlers used bouncers to trap him, to trouble him, targeting his backlift.”

The former swing bowler said the young batter will need to give respect to the MI bowlers, just like he did against GT.

He concluded, “When Vaibhav was playing against Gujarat, he was giving a lot of respect to the bowlers, especially to those deliveries just outside off-stump and moving away, which he had to defend. We talked a lot about this in today’s show, how Vaibhav is trying to change himself, trying to adapt to challenges at this level. He will have to do the same here as well.”

MI will face RR in Guwahati on Tuesday.