Sikandar Raza backs 'supremely talented' Vaibhav Sooryavanshi amid criticism

KARACHI: Zimbabwe's T20I captain Sikandar Raza on Tuesday came out in support of 15-year-old India's batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been under criticism after an underwhelming start to his international career.

The batting sensation, who rose to fame during last year's Indian Premier League (IPL) by smashing a 35-ball century for inaugural champions Rajasthan Royals, became the youngest to represent India at the international level earlier this month by making his T20I debut against England.

Sooryavanshi, however, could not showcase his explosive batting skills in international cricket, as he managed scores of 14, 13 and 15, respectively, in his three outings for India before being replaced by Sanju Samson in their lineup.

The left-handed opener has since then been subjected to severe criticism online, but experienced all-rounder Raza, who is set to lead Zimbabwe in a three-match home T20I series against reigning champions India, hailed Sooryavanshi as a supremely talented cricketer, adding that criticising the youngster after just three matches was not justified.

Sikandar Raza further insisted that Sooryavanshi could be a generational talent if managed well, citing his recent success at the Under-19 level for India, which also saw him win the World Cup with the Men in Blue earlier this year.

"Vaibhav is a supremely talented cricketer. If a 15-year-old kid is playing international cricket, criticising him after just two or three matches isn't justified," Raza told an Indian media conglomerate.

"I think Vaibhav has a lot of very good senior cricketers around him. If he is managed and handled well, I think Vaibhav could be a generational talent.

"To see what he has done over the last year, what he has done for India Under-19, and the fact that he made his international debut at the same age, these are no small feats by any means.

"You don't get to hear such stories nowadays. Vaibhav is special. It will be important how he is managed and handled."

It is pertinent to mention that Sooryavanshi is a part of the India squad that is set to lock horns with Zimbabwe in the upcoming T20I series, scheduled to be played in Harare from July 23 to 26.