What Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has described teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an 'unbelievable' talent, saying he has never seen or faced a player with such fearless ability while praising the 15-year-old's bold approach to the game.
Speaking about the youngster's rapid rise, Harbhajan said modern cricket has become more accepting of players who back their natural instincts instead of playing conservatively.
"The difference between today's youth and the youth back then is the reach of today's media and social media. Things happened back then too, but today they get highlighted a lot more. What Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is doing today, no one has ever done before. He is unbelievable, a great talent. I don't think I have seen or faced a talent like that," Harbhajan told Jio Star.
Harbhajan also credited the changing mindset in Indian cricket, where young players are encouraged to express themselves freely.
"I think the biggest change is that people are accepting players with that fearless mindset and their approach of playing the way they want to," he added.
Recalling Sooryavanshi's memorable Indian Premier League debut, Harbhajan narrated an interaction between former India head coach Rahul Dravid and the youngster before his first appearance.
"Rahul Dravid was the coach of that team, and he asked Sooryavanshi, 'What will you do on the first ball?' He said, 'If the first ball is in my arc, I will smash it.' And he actually did. He hit a six off the very first ball he faced in his IPL career, against Shardul Thakur," Harbhajan added.
Sooryavanshi recently etched his name into the record books during India's 4-0 T20I series defeat in England by becoming the country's youngest-ever international cricketer, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's long-standing record.
"Rahul Dravid was the coach of that team, and he asked Sooryavanshi, 'What will you do on the first ball?' He said, 'If the first ball is in my arc, I will smash it.' And he actually did. He hit a six off the very first ball he faced in his IPL career, against Shardul Thakur," Harbhajan added.
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Despite the early setback, Sooryavanshi has retained the faith of the selectors and is part of India's squad for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe, where he will be hoping to convert his fearless approach into substantial runs and further strengthen his place in the national side.