HARARE : India coach VVS Laxman praised 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s maturity after the teenager starred in a 3-0 Twenty20 series sweep of Zimbabwe, saying his rapid development had enabled him to excel in high-pressure situations.
Sooryavanshi followed his 18-ball half-century in the opening match with an 81-run knock in Sunday’s series finale to earn the Player of the Series award after scoring two fifties in the three-match contest.
The left-hander was fast-tracked into the national side following a breakthrough Indian Premier League season and bounced back strongly after a difficult debut series in England earlier this month.
“Very mature. That’s what I really appreciate about Vaibhav,” Laxman told reporters.
“With every experience and every match, he understands, assesses and gets better. He reviews every practice session, not just matches.
“His maturity, understanding and awareness over the last six months have skyrocketed. That’s why he’s been able to handle tough situations and perform under pressure against the best players.”
Sooryavanshi endured a modest start to his international career in England, scoring 14, 13 and 15 in his first three T20 internationals before being left out of the fifth match.
Laxman, who has followed the teenager’s progress from age-group cricket through the IPL and into the senior team, said Sooryavanshi’s willingness to improve stood out, although fitness remained an area for development.
“The one area we want him to improve is his overall fitness,” Laxman said.
“He’s a very young boy. He himself wants to get better in every aspect of the game. Even today, when he got injured while attempting a diving catch, he still wanted to stay on the field.
“It was our physio who asked him to come off. That’s the eagerness and earnestness he has to contribute in every possible way to the team.”
Laxman said he had no concerns over Sooryavanshi’s early struggles in England and backed the teenager to fulfil his potential.
“I’m sure he will progress and break all the records at the international level,” Laxman said. “He’s got all the potential and ability to do that.”
