Mayank Yadav in awe of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 'unbelievable' batting
India pacer Mayank Yadav was full of praise for teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the 15-year-old smashed his maiden international half-century against Zimbabwe in the first T20I in Harare. Mayank described the youngster’s stroke-play as “unbelievable” and backed him to achieve great success in international cricket.
Sooryavanshi blasted 50 off just 19 balls to power India to a 7-wicket win, while Mayank marked his return to international cricket after nearly two years on the sidelines with an impressive two-wicket spell.
ZIM vs IND 1st T20I: SCORECARD | HIGHLIGHTS
Speaking after India’s win, Mayank admitted that Sooryavanshi’s fearless batting had left him stunned, recalling how the teenager had also taken apart his bowling during the IPL.
“His batting is unbelievable. When I bowled to him, he played some shots that you can’t expect from such a young player with so little experience. He always gives you a new experience and it’s great to watch him.”
The fast bowler said Sooryavanshi possesses extraordinary talent for someone his age and believes the youngster has everything needed to enjoy a long and successful career at the highest level.
“I think he can go very far because the talent he has at this age is fabulous. I never imagined a 15-year-old guy would come and smash everyone like that. It’s a great feeling to be in his team now because in the IPL, when we were playing against him, he smacked us like anything.”
Mayank also felt the half-century would be a major confidence boost for Sooryavanshi after a difficult start to his international career.
“I think it will be a very special moment for him. He didn’t have very good matches in the last couple of series and now he has got his first half-century for the country. That’s always a very special moment for any player, and especially for a 15-year-old kid. The way he smashed the ball was great.”
VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI ANNOUNCES HIMSELF
After a quiet start to his international career in England, Sooryavanshi returned to familiar surroundings in Harare, where he had scored a memorable century in the Under-19 World Cup final earlier this year. The left-hander looked completely at ease, hammering four fours and four sixes in a breathtaking 19-ball fifty that laid the foundation for India’s successful chase of 126.
His attacking display included audacious pulls, towering straight sixes and fearless stroke-play against Zimbabwe’s pace attack. Although he departed immediately after reaching his milestone, Ishan Kishan and captain Shreyas Iyer completed the chase comfortably to hand India a seven-wicket victory and Iyer his first win as India’s T20I captain.
MAYANK YADAV SHINES ON RETURN
While Sooryavanshi grabbed the headlines with the bat, Mayank enjoyed a memorable comeback with the ball in his first international appearance since October 2024. The speedster struck with the opening delivery of the match by dismissing Brian Bennett and consistently clocked speeds above 145 kmph throughout his spell.
Returning after recovering from a stress fracture that required surgery, Mayank finished with two wickets as India restricted Zimbabwe to 125 for seven. His pace and aggression troubled the hosts throughout the innings, capping a successful comeback before India’s young batting stars completed the job in emphatic fashion.
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