Former England cricketer Monty Panesar has stated that the 15-year-old Indian opening batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi might not translate his limited-overs success to the longest format of the game.
It’s important to note that Sooryavanshi made his T20I debut on the recent England tour and later played on the Zimbabwe tour. However, he wasn’t included in the XI in the most recent Afghanistan T20I series.
“I can’t see Sooryavanshi transitioning to Test cricket. Harry Brook is the only one right now who’s in the top 10 in Tests and T20Is. But I just don’t think Sooryavanshi has got the technique,” Panesar said on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.
The former Australian captain Michael Clarke, who is also part of the conversation, reckoned that Sooryavanshi could become an all-format superstar, similar to Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. He further added that Sooryavanshi will gain more confidence once India tours different conditions.
“I think you can still play all three formats. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers showed that. These guys were brilliant Test cricketers and unbelievable T20 cricketers as well. If a player from this generation like Sooryavanshi can make the transition into Test cricket, it is going to be unreal to watch. But whether he wants to play Test cricket is going to be a question as well,” Clarke said.
“Right now, power is still his main thing, and he has an amazing eye. He picks the ball as well as any young cricketer in the world. The technique will get better the more he tours with India and trains in different conditions. He’s talented enough that, if he wants to do it, I can’t see any reason why he can’t be a superstar in all three formats,” he concluded.
