Harbhajan Singh’s Formula to Stop Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: ‘Only Way Is to Attack’

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has captured the cricketing world’s imagination after dominating bowlers twice his age with surreal ease.

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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the youngest to play international cricket for India. (AFP Photo)

Extraordinary. Prodigy. Boy wonder. Precocious. Future of Indian cricket. Teenage sensation.

These are among the countless adjectives used to describe Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – the 15-year-old batting sensation who has, arguably, become the most talked-about cricketer in the world ever since his IPL debut last year.

Since stunning the cricket world by swatting the very first ball of his IPL career for a six at the age of 14, Sooryavanshi has continued to conjure magic on the cricket field with his extraordinary feats. He is the youngest centurion in the history of men’s T20 cricket, the youngest player to play international cricket for India, the youngest half-centurion in men’s T20Is, fastest Indian to score an IPL century, youngest-ever winner of the IPL’s Orange Cap and more.

He has achieved all this and more in a period of just over a year and, more importantly, at a scarcely believable young age.

Sooryavanshi seems to have no fear, nor does he care about anyone’s reputation. He has smacked world-class bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins, for sixes without blinking an eyelid.

Such has been his impact that bowlers like Kyle Jamieson have celebrated his dismissals animatedly. He has made experienced opponents think – a testament to his extraordinary talent.

So how does a bowler prepare for, or survive, someone who has absolutely no fear?

Harbhajan Singh has a suggestion: Attack.

“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is extraordinary. He is a unique player. I have not seen a player like him before, one who can dominate the world at 14-15 years of age,” Harbhajan told PTI.

“When the world’s top bowlers are bowling to him, they are actually thinking about where to bowl. That itself is a big, big statement. The only way to survive is to attack him. You go at him and you take his wicket,” he added.

It’s a strategy that Harbhajan believes may not consistently yield positive results, but he feels it’s much better than being defensive.

“It may not work all the time. Sometimes you might even get smashed. He would’ve hit sixes. But that is part of the game. You have to accept that he’s good,” the former India offspinner said.

Harbhajan, one of the greatest spinners to have played the game, also revealed how he would have dealt with Sooryavanshi if he were to face the youngster.

“I won’t set the field according to what he’s doing. I’ll set the field according to what I’m doing. If I bowl to escape, I won’t be able to get him out. You go at him and you take his wicket. You might get success, you might not. That’s just a matter of time. You have to accept that he’s good. But still, the next ball should be about how to get him out,” Harbhajan said.

Key Questions Answered

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The provided article does not directly state whether Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will continue his record-breaking streak. However, it highlights his past achievements and current form, suggesting a high potential for continued success.

Harbhajan Singh suggests that the only way to stop Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is to attack him, even if it doesn’t always work.

While Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been compared to cricketing legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli due to his exceptional talent and record-breaking IPL performance, experts urge caution against over-hyping him at his young age. He has shown promise in T20 and 50-over formats but still needs to prove himself in other forms of cricket.

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About the Author

Feroz Khan

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More

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Original source: https://www.news18.com/cricket/