Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag has pointed out that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has a similar batting thinking as him amid the T20I series against the West Indies. Sooryavanshi is yet to get his chances in the ongoing series against the Windies.
The youngster recently returned with scores of 38 and 15 in the semifinal and final of the Asian Games against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, respectively.
Sooryavanshi hogged the limelight after he scored 776 runs in 16 matches of IPL 2026 for Rajasthan Royals at a blistering strike rate of 237.10. After managing only 42 runs in his first three T20Is against England, Sooryavanshi scored 151 runs in three games against Zimbabwe and was awarded Player of the Series for his consistent performances.
Sehwag said during a discussion at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual session, “Suryavanshi is in his prime, and his thinking is somewhat similar to mine, that of hitting right from the first ball. Now, it is about when he gets the opportunity and how many matches he plays for India.”
Asked if age matters in competitive sports, Sehwag said, “Look, if you are playing in an age-category, it makes sense – if it’s Under-19, your age should be under 19. But once you play the IPL or play for India, age doesn’t matter. ‘A 38- or 40-year-old (Virat) Kohli is playing, and a 15-year-old (Vaibhav) Suryavanshi is also playing. Then, performance matters.”
Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi didn’t get his chances in a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Head coach Gautam Gambhir said the youngster will need to wait for his chances in the playing XI as Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are India’s first-choice openers.
