CHRISTCHURCH : New Zealand have studied India’s teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and believe home conditions could test the 15-year-old when the teams begin their five-match Twenty20 series on Thursday, fast bowler Jacob Duffy said.
Sooryavanshi has captured attention with his explosive hitting, setting records in the Indian Premier League before becoming the youngest player to represent India in men’s international cricket with his T20 debut against England in July.
After a quiet start against England, the left-handed opener struck an 18-ball half-century against Zimbabwe to become the youngest player to reach 50 in men’s international cricket. He also helped India win gold in the T20 competition at the Asian Games in Japan.
Duffy said New Zealand had carefully analysed Sooryavanshi ahead of the series opener at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
“First of all, he’s an incredible talent. Obviously, he’s taken the IPL by storm and what’s amazing, he strikes it so hard but he does it so consistently,” Duffy told reporters on Tuesday.
“He’s striking at 250 (strike-rate) every game and he’s not missing out very often. So that’s incredible in itself.”
Duffy said Sooryavanshi’s experience in England could help him, but conditions in New Zealand would present a different challenge.
“We’ve certainly had a good scouting session on him and got our plans as to what we want to do to him,” he said.
New Zealand’s seam-friendly pitches could pose a test for the young batter. Duffy said he had spoken to Hagley Oval’s groundsman and hoped the wicket would offer some bounce.
“He’s from Invercargill, so he’s promised me a little bit of bounce,” said Duffy, who was born in Lumsden. “As long as it’s not Hyderabad, I’m happy.”
The T20 series is the first leg of India’s tour, which also includes one-day internationals and a two-test series.
Duffy, who won New Zealand’s Sir Richard Hadlee Medal as the country’s top player in 2025, reached the final of this year’s T20 World Cup in India before winning the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The 31-year-old made his test debut last year but missed New Zealand’s mid-year tour of England and a one-off test against Ireland to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.
He said he was eager to return to test cricket ahead of New Zealand’s four-test tour of Australia.
“I’ve played four tests in my life. I get up for any test. There’s something special about them,” he said.
