Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 200-run knock leaves fans wanting more as India A star falls for 44 against Afghanistan A

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Screengrab) NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again flashed his extraordinary talent before falling short of a major score as India A posted 161/2 in 20 overs against Afghanistan A in the Tri-Nation Series in Sri Lanka on Thursday.The 15-year-old batting sensation lit up the opening phase of the innings with a fearless 44 off just 22 deliveries, hitting nine fours and scoring a remarkable 200.After Afghanistan A captain Imran Mir won the toss and elected to bowl, Sooryavanshi wasted no time in attacking the opposition. He went off the mark on the boundary off his very first ball and never looked back, punishing anything that didn’t get away from the Afghan seamen.The youngster’s aggressive approach helped India A race to 50 for no loss in just five overs. He repeatedly found gaps in the offside while also showing his ability to dominate short-run bowling. His partnership of 74 runs with Prabhsimran Singh laid a solid foundation for the innings.At one stage, half a century seemed inevitable. However, Abdullah Ahmadzai gave Afghanistan A the breakthrough in the eighth over. Sooryavanshi tried an impromptu ramp shot against the short delivery but only managed to slide the ball past keeper Ishaq Rahimi.The dismissal left the teenager visibly disappointed as he returned after entertaining the crowd with a blistering knock that lasted just 22 balls but shifted the momentum firmly in India’s favour.While Sooryavanshi grabbed the early headlines, Prabhsimran ensured India A maintained control of the innings. The wicket-keeper-opener anchored the batting effort with an unbeaten 82 off 65 balls, hitting 14 fours and turning the batting effectively through the middle overs.Priyansh Arya made a brief contribution of 8 before becoming Ahmadzai’s second wicket, while Ruturaj Gaikwad settled in with an unbeaten 23 off 28 deliveries.Afghanistan A’s bowlers managed to slow down the scoring after the over, with Khalil Gurbaz proving particularly economical. However, Sooryavanshi’s explosive start had already given India A the platform they needed, leaving fans once again wondering what could have been had the youngster stayed at the crease a little longer.

Should India A selectors soon promote Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to the senior team?