Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may have made his name by sending the ball flying over the boundary, but the young batter showed that there is more to his game as he turned his hand to bowling during the Duleep Trophy.
The 15-year-old, who has already caught the eye with his explosive batting in the IPL and in his early appearances for India in T20Is, produced a surprise contribution with the ball as he picked up two wickets in the space of four deliveries for East Zone.
It was a glimpse of another side to Sooryavanshi’s game as he bowled left-arm orthodox spin and made an immediate impact against North East Zone.
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SOORYAVANSHI MAKES HIS MARK
Sooryavanshi’s appearance in the Duleep Trophy comes at the start of a new season, with the youngster switching from the fast-paced demands of T20 cricket to the longer format. He was also handed the responsibility of being East Zone’s vice-captain, a decision that raised a few eyebrows given his age and limited experience at the first-class level.
He was unable to make much of an impact with the bat earlier in the game, but quickly made up for it with his bowling.
His first wicket came against Kishan Lyngdoh. Sooryavanshi tossed the ball up a touch fuller, tempting the batter to come down the track and attempt a big heave. Lyngdoh could not get the desired connection and mistimed the shot towards the point region, where the fielder completed the catch.
Sooryavanshi needed just three more deliveries to strike again.
This time, he produced a quicker delivery to trouble Imliwati Lemtur. The batter got a nick through to the wicketkeeper, with Ishan Kishan completing the catch behind the stumps.
The two wickets in the same over gave Sooryavanshi a chance to showcase a skill that has largely remained in the background amid the attention surrounding his batting.
Earlier, the youngster had opened the innings for East Zone but could not convert his aggressive start into a substantial score. He made eight runs from six deliveries, hitting two boundaries before losing his wicket.
While his batting remains the main reason for the hype surrounding him, Sooryavanshi’s bowling cameo offered another intriguing glimpse of his all-round skill set.
The teenager has already made headlines for his ability to attack bowling attacks, but his spell in the Duleep Trophy showed that he can also contribute with the ball when called upon. Whether bowling becomes a regular part of his game remains to be seen, but two wickets in an over certainly provided an entertaining reminder that there may be more to Sooryavanshi’s cricket than his explosive strokeplay.
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