Vaibhav Sooryavanshi trades aggression for restraint in 44 runs against Afghanistan A

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s reputation has been built on fearless batting and towering sixes, but the teenage sensation showed another side to his game during India A’s clash against Afghanistan A in Dambulla on Thursday.

The 15-year-old smashed 44 off just 22 balls at the top of the order, hitting nine boundaries and setting the tone for India A’s impressive total of 349/9 in 49 overs. More importantly, the innings went without a single six, underscoring his ability to adapt to conditions that offered much more help to the bowlers than the batsman-friendly pitches he encountered during the IPL.

India A vs Afghanistan A: UPDATE

Coming into the match, there was a lot of interest on how Sooryavanshi would fare outside the IPL. After scoring just 12 against Sri Lanka A in India’s opening match, the youngster responded with a scintillating knock against Afghanistan A.

Opening the innings after Afghanistan A opted to bowl, Sooryavanshi started immediately. He cut off Mohammad Ibrahim for boundaries off his first two deliveries and never allowed the bowlers to settle. Anything wide was punished while short deliveries were dispatched with authority through the offside.

Afghanistan A was looking for answers but trying to hold him back. Abdullah Ahmadzai was bowled offside, lifted over point and smashed through cover as Sooryavanshi raced away in the PowerPlay. Even the outside edge that flew past the slip for four reflected the pressure he was already putting on the bowling attack.

Sooryavanshi’s entertaining knock ended on 44 when Ahmadzai pushed him to the spot with a short ball around the wicket. He tried to guide it well and headed past goalkeeper Ishaq Rahimi. The teenager stood his ground for a moment before returning, clearly disappointed to have missed out on a bigger score.

Still, the shift has already made an impression. For a batsman who hit a record 72 sixes in an IPL season break Chris Gayle’s recordthe most remarkable aspect of this knock was that he didn’t hit a single one. Instead, Sooryavanshi relied on timing and placement, finding gaps with ease and holding the scoreboard. All nine of his boundaries were down the ground, showcasing a different side of his bat and the ability to adapt to the demands of the situation.

Former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar was among those who did.

“India A is in Sri Lanka, the pitch is not as flat as IPL and it’s not T20 cricket. So watching Vaibhav Suryavanshi in different batting conditions makes me excited,” Manjrekar wrote on X.

“He’s not just your T20 slogger. He can be a phenom one day. A special talent.”

While Sooryavanshi provided the initial impetus, India A’s batting efforts were fueled by contributions across the order. Prabhsimran Singh top-scored with 84 while Ruturaj Gaikwad and skipper Tilak Varma registered half-centuries to ensure India A made the most of the start.

The total of 349/9 reflected the depth in the batting line-up, but Sooryavanshi’s innings offered a reminder that there is more to his game than just big hits.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

11 Jun 2026 16:06 IST