Sooryavanshi mania kicks off in Ireland ahead of possible India debut

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Photo) The Vaibhav Sooryavanshi phenomenon has crossed borders, the excitement around the 15-year-old prodigy reaching fever pitch in Ireland ahead of his possible India debut in the upcoming T20I series against Ireland.Sooryavanshi, who has captured the imagination of cricket fans with his sensational performances in the IPL, is in line to make his senior India debut during the two-match series starting in Belfast on June 26. According to former India and Ireland cricketer MV Narasimha Rao, the buzz surrounding the teenager has already sparked a rush for tickets, with fans from across Europe witnessing the moment.“I think (the local organisers) will have to put more seats because this stadium (Stormont country) only has 7,000 seats or so. Already people from other parts of Europe like Paris etc want to come, hopefully we will find a way to accommodate them,” Rao told PTI from Strabane, Ireland.The former all-rounder believes that Sooryavanshi’s debut, if it happens, could be a landmark for Irish cricket fans.“So I think it will be history, a big day if he makes his debut in Ireland. It was unexpected and there’s been a lot of excitement here for the last 10 days,” he added.

‘He’s phenomenal’: Rao compares youngster’s style to Sobers

Rao, who played four Tests for India before later representing Ireland in the mid-1990s, feels the conditions in Belfast could suit the young left-hander.“He’s phenomenal, he’s great to watch and I watched him on TV during the IPL. He might like batting because the wickets here are generally slow and Ireland don’t have the same kind of fast bowlers, you know, with pace,” he said.However, Rao expects stricter scrutiny to come when India travel to England.“But once he goes to England, it will be a big test for him because the ball moves there and the weather changes even in the short duration of T20. But I wish him a good series,” he warned.The veteran coach also compared Sooryavanshi’s batting style to legendary West Indies great Gary Sobers.“He reminds me – from the few games I’ve watched of Gary Sobers – high backswing and bat, he goes straight and he gets the ball up very quickly. He’s so versatile and at that young age he can play every shot in the game,” he added.Despite the growing hype, Rao urged the teenager to stay grounded.“He has God-given talent. But my word is that – like Sachin Tendulkar – he should keep his head down and his feet on the ground. It will be a big test for him because he is a superstar now,” he said.