“Very mature. That’s what I really appreciate about Vaibhav,” Laxman said. “With every experience and every match, he understands, assesses and gets better. He reviews every practice session, not just matches.
“What you saw today was a mature innings because it was a huge ground and the wicket was slow, with the ball stopping a bit. I thought the Zimbabwe bowlers had a plan against him today, and he countered that plan. It was a very, very mature knock from Vaibhav.”
Asked about Sooryavanshi’s strengths, Laxman touched upon the teenager’s understanding that comes from having already played the volume of cricket he has. He was particularly impressed at how far he’s come on since the breakout IPL season, where he was MVP for his chart-topping 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30.
“He knows his game. For him, as with anyone, it’s just about minute adjustments in terms of skill. But what is really impressive is the way he’s evolved as a person,” Laxman explained. “His maturity, understanding and awareness over the last six months have skyrocketed. That’s why he’s been able to handle tough situations and perform under pressure against the best players.”
Laxman has had a ringside view of Sooryavanshi’s development ever since he first saw him at a camp at the Centre of Excellence, of which Laxman was the head, two years ago. Since then, he has overseen his development from a teenaged prodigy to an India Under-19 and IPL star, followed by his journey to the India cap.
“We know Vaibhav very well,” Laxman said. “Around two-and-a-half years ago, just before the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, we identified him during the quadrangular series in Vijayawada, where he was one of the top scorers for India B. Since then, he has been part of various camps at the CoE and then became the highest run-getter in the Under-19 World Cup [2026].
“So we know him in and out. It’s not only the player, but also the person. When you know the person well, you understand what works for him and how to prepare him so that he’s in the best frame of mind going into a match.”
The one area Laxman saw a massive upside for Sooryavanshi was his fitness, but also touched upon the importance of managing it well given he’s still only 15.
“He’s got a long career ahead, and he has the attitude and mindset to improve every day. I’m sure he will progress and break all the records at the international level”
VVS Laxman on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
“The one area we want him to improve is his overall fitness,” Laxman said. “He’s a very young boy. He himself wants to get better in every aspect of the game. Even today, when he got injured [while attempting a diving catch running in from deep square leg], he still wanted to stay on the field. It was our physio who asked him to come off. That’s the eagerness and earnestness he has to contribute in every possible way to the team.”
Laxman also explained he was not surprised at the way Sooryavanshi bounced back from a rough start to his international career in England, where he was roughed up with some short-pitched bowling. Even then, there were sparks in the three knocks that produced 14, 13 and 15.
“It was on expected lines,” Laxman responded when asked if he thought Sooryavanshi exceeded expectation. “Even last year, when he played for Rajasthan Royals for the first time, the way he handled pressure was impressive. I believe any IPL match is equivalent to an international match. At 14 or 15, when you’re playing in the IPL, either you can be overawed by the occasion or embrace the pressure. I think he chose the second option.
“So I’m not surprised by the way this series has gone. He was disappointed not to get a hundred, but we told him it’s not going to be the first or the last opportunity he’ll get. He’s got a long career ahead, and he has the attitude and mindset to improve every day. I’m sure he will progress and break all the records at the international level. He’s got all the potential and ability to do that.”
Shashank Kishore is a senior correspondent at Cricinfo
