Former England pacer Stuart Broad said he can’t wait to watch 15-year-old Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in action during the upcoming T20I series in the UK, admitting he might even be a “star” if he sees the youngster in the series opener in Durham.Sooryavanshi, who recently stunned the cricket world with a List-A record 50 off just 11 balls against Sri Lanka A, has been included in the senior India squad for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England. The left-handed batsman has quickly become one of the most talked about young talents in world cricket.
‘He’s got everything’ — Broad amazed at rapid rise
Broad, speaking on the For the Love of Cricket podcast, was full of praise for the teenager’s explosive rise and fearless approach.“He’s got everything, hasn’t he? He’s got everything. He’s even starting to sledge now. OK, cricket is too easy. 11 balls. It’s crazy. I’m sure you’re probably not hoping, but I’m doing the first T20 in Durham against India, what is it, July 1?… I’m just hoping he plays. Really, actually I have to be honest, I think he might blow me away,” Broad said.He also highlighted the conversations within cricketing circles that further fueled the excitement around the youngster.“And you know what? We’re not the only ones who believe the hype. I mean, obviously you’ve seen him, you’ve been with him. I spent a week with Dinesh Karthik, who’s one of the coaches, an assistant coach at RCB. And of course I’m like, seriously, what do you think about this guy? He’s amazing. He’s seriously amazing. You can’t get over how good this kid is,” he added to a fellow panelist. Jos Buttler.He generally noted that much of the UK had only seen glimpses and heard “whispers” of Sooryavanshi’s talent, building anticipation ahead of his potential debut on English soil.“Obviously, on this side of England, people just hear the whispers and see the great bits of footage. But to hear the guys watching him week in and week out, going, this kid is on another level,” he said.
Buttler backs up the hype as England prepares for the challenge
Former England white-ball captain Jos Buttler also acknowledged the tremendous impact Sooryavanshi has made at such a young age.“Listen to this. Hit an 11-ball 50 for India A, the fastest half-century in the history of List A 50-over cricket. “So it’s at it again,” Buttler said.“It’s something we’ve never seen before… he’s worried about how many records and stuff he’s ticking off so quickly. So yeah, we’ll have to keep him quiet as an England side in that T20S. No, he’s on another level. Absolutely. And he’s pretty cool actually,” he added.
