Former cricketer Madan Lal lauds Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, India's youngest debutant at 15, for his IPL-driven selection. Lal hopes he emulates greats like Tendulkar and Kohli. Sooryavanshi's coach also praised his hard work and debut.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal congratulated Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on becoming India's youngest international cricketer, saying the teenager earned his debut through outstanding IPL (Indian Premier League) performances.
While noting that international cricket is a significant step up and demands greater experience, Lal wished Sooryavanshi success and expressed hope that he develops into a generational batter in the mould of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, inspiring fans to watch him play.
Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to represent India across formats, as well as the youngest debutant from a Test-playing nation in T20I history after he was included in India's playing 11 for the ongoing second T20I against England in Manchester on Saturday to become India's youngest debutant at 15 years and 99 days.
'Hope he becomes a player like Virat or Sachin'
"I would like to congratulate him on breaking Sachin's record, for making his debut at such a young age. He effectively forced his selection through his performance in the IPL and the way he has been playing; everyone knew he was destined to play at this level sooner or later. Now that he has made his debut, it is worth noting that international cricket requires a bit more experience. The standard of the game rises when you make the jump to this level. But I wish him all the best. We want him to become a player--much like Virat Kohli or Sachin--who defines an era, someone people eagerly tune in to watch bat," Madan Lal told ANI.
Sooryavanshi made an entertaining start to his international career, smashing 14 off 10 balls with two sixes before being stumped off Will Jacks.
'A proud and emotional moment': Coach Manish Ojha
Sooryavanshi's childhood coach, Manish Ojha, described the teenager's India debut as a proud and emotional moment, crediting his hard work and consistent performances for earning the opportunity.
Ojha said the young batter now has a chance to prove himself at the international level, just as he did in the IPL and Under-19 World Cup, and expressed hope that he enjoys a long career and helps India win many matches in the years ahead.
"Yes, Vaibhav has been given a break today. It is a very proud moment--a moment of great joy for me as a coach--to see that after all his hard work and stellar performances, Vaibhav was first selected for Team India and is now getting the chance to play a match. It is a great opportunity for him to prove himself here, just as he has done in the IPL and the Under-19 World Cup. He is still very young; he is in the initial stage of his career. He has a long time ahead of him to serve cricket and India. So, I wish him well and hope that in the future, he delivers performances that help Team India win matches time and again," he told ANI.
(ANI)
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