Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s biggest challenge in international cricket may not come with the bat, but in the field, where there is no IPL-style Impact Player rule to ease his workload.
Speaking on Ajinkya Rahane’s YouTube channel during India’s T20I series against Ireland ahead of the five-match tour of England, Vaughan suggested England should make India field first whenever they win the toss to test the 15-year-old’s endurance.
“The one thing he’s going to have to cope with is his fielding. There’s no impact sub where he can sit on the bench. If I were England, I’d ask India to field first because then by the time Sooryavanshi comes to bat, he might be tired,” Vaughan said.
Vaughan’s remarks have reignited the debate surrounding Sooryavanshi’s role during his second IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals, where he was frequently used as an Impact Player and substituted after completing his innings.
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar had earlier questioned whether the rule was shielding the youngster from being judged as a complete cricketer. In May, Manjrekar said he wanted to see Sooryavanshi handle the pressures of spending an entire innings on the field rather than being assessed solely on his batting exploits.
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“I’d like to see him be on the field and be put under pressure as well,” Manjrekar had said, arguing that the Impact Player rule limited the opportunity to evaluate a player’s all-round abilities.
The Rajasthan Royals, however, consistently rejected suggestions that the teenager was being protected because of poor fielding. Assistant coach Trevor Penney insisted the franchise’s decision was purely about managing the youngster’s workload during a demanding campaign.
“He is a very good fielder. He has got great hands, moves well, dives and anticipates. It has nothing to do with him being a bad fielder,” Penney said, adding that the move was aimed at keeping Sooryavanshi physically and mentally fresh for his role as an opener.
Despite being used as an Impact Player in the IPL, Sooryavanshi has regularly fielded full innings for India at the age-group level, including at the U-19 World Cup and the India A Tri-Nation Series. While he may not be among the quickest movers on the field, he has produced several outstanding catches in recent months.
The young left-hander is still awaiting his T20I debut after remaining on the bench during India’s opening match of the Ireland series. If selected against England, Vaughan believes the teenager’s stamina and fielding could come under as much scrutiny as his explosive batting.
By Joe Williams
