‘Anything but brute force’: Ashwin blown away by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 44-run blitz

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (X-Cricbuzz) Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has heaped praise on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the youngster produced another eye-catching innings for India A in the ongoing one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka.Sooryavanshi, who recently earned his first call-up to India for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland, continued to impress in the 50 format through a rousing knock against Afghanistan A. Opening the batting, the 15-year-old took the lead from the outset and smashed 44 runs off just 22 deliveries to hit a blistering 200. Sooryavanshi, who scored just 14 runs in the opening game of the tournament, looked much more composed in his second game. While his explosive power has already become a hallmark of his batting, this innings showcased another side to his game. The youngster mixed aggression with control, regularly finding gaps and playing some elegant strokes down the ground rather than relying solely on big hits.His knock of 44 runs included nine boundaries and highlighted why many believe he has the technique and temperament to succeed beyond the T20 format.A half-century looked well within reach before Sooryavanshi’s innings ended. Attempting to cut short over the wicket, he found Mohamed Shiraz in the deep, who completed the catch to deny him a well-deserved fifty.Despite the dismissal, Ashwin was very impressed with what he saw from the teenager. Reaching X, the former India off-spinner highlighted the quality of Sooryavanshi’s stroke and timing, suggesting the innings was about much more than brute force.“Out! But 44(21) a thoroughly entertaining innings, punctuated by well-timed cover drives. We’ve seen his power but it was anything but brute power today. This kid is some player.” Ashwin wrote on X.

Ashwin’s post

Earlier in the day, a rain interruption reduced the match to 49 overs per side. India A posted an impressive 349 for 9 with Prabhsimran Singh leading the way with 84 while captain Tilak Varma and vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad contributed 66.The pursuit of Afghanistan A also affected the weather. Their revised target was revised to 294 in 38 overs after further rain delays before the second innings. The visitors responded strongly, reaching 177 for 2 in 25.5 overs with Imran Mir not out on 75 and Bahir Shah not out on 51.When the rain returned and halted play again, Afghanistan A were three runs ahead of DLS’s par score. As the conditions prevented any further action, the match was called off and Afghanistan A were declared the winners by the DLS method.