New Delhi. One day a hero, another day a zero, one moment on the throne and the next moment on the floor, such ups and downs can be seen only on the cricket field, the latest example of which is being seen in England. On 4 July, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became India’s youngest international cricketer at Old Trafford. Earlier, he had scored 776 runs for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, that too at a strike rate of more than 237. He hit a six on his very first ball of international cricket, which was bowled by his IPL teammate Joffra Archer. It was a brilliant and Bollywood blockbuster debut.
The wheel of time has turned and after just three matches questions have started being raised instead of praise. England’s bowlers, especially Archer, have caught the weakness of this child. People in India are demanding to bring Sanju Samson back into the team but Team India should not be in a hurry. Suryavanshi is the future of India. They should be given more opportunities, their mistakes should be considered as part of learning, and they should be given proper coaching.
Bodyline bowling changed the story
International cricket catches any weakness very quickly. Coming from the flat pitches of India to the bouncy pitches of England, a specific and recurring weakness of Suryavanshi has come to light. His hands and elbows block on high bounce. Due to the hands being stuck to the body, he is unable to make space to play shots like pull or cut and is forced to play shots when the ball comes straight to the neck. The sooner he gets out of this habit, the better it will be. News spreads very quickly in cricket, now every bowler will target his neck.
During IPL, Suryavanshi used to beat Archer a lot in the nets of Rajasthan Royals. It is clear that Archer knew their weakness since then, just because of being in the same team in IPL, he was following that strategy there. Now on the international stage, when both are facing each other for different countries, Archer followed his same old plan and dismissed him twice in three matches.
Archer vs Suryavanshi: Same story
Same pattern is visible in Vaibhav’s first three innings in England, same short-ball problem after a good start. In the entire series, he has hit many sixes against the big bowlers of the world in just 25 balls, which shows his ability, but his record against Archer alone – 13 balls, 18 runs, out twice, shows where his real test is taking place at the international level. Nasir Hussain, who was doing the commentary, also did not dismiss him. Comparing him with Abhishek Sharma, he said that there is no competition in terms of talent, Suryavanshi’s story is “big” and of a “different level”, but Moeen also said that hitting a six in England is a different thing, because the wind has a big impact here and the pitch keeps changing during the match.
If you play, you will learn wealth
At only 15 years old, he has a lot of time to learn and improve, which very few players get. They have every opportunity to fail and stand up again. Trust is important: Leaving them out now will send the message that instant perfection is all that matters here, not patience. To create a fearless player, the team will have to tolerate his mistakes. The technique of many big batsmen of India has been tested on the first tour of England itself. Only those who survived became great in future.
Role of nets and coach is important
There is no need to save Suryavanshi from difficult situations, but there is a need for proper coaching, he has to be taught such a stance in which he can transfer his weight backwards even on short balls and does not lose his balance. Coaches will have to work on freeing their hands quickly, so that their hands do not stick to the body when the ball suddenly rises. As Nasser said, the wind and changing pitch of England is a different challenge. He will have to be patient, work hard on the bouncers, and learn when to play shots and when to take the ball to his body and run quietly.
This is not the last match but a chance to hit the ground running.
Before the last T20 match to be held in Southampton on July 11, England has a ready plan against this young player. International cricket will not wait for him to grow up, but the Indian team management should. Gautam Gambhir has rightly said that Vaibhav is a match-winner who can change a match in a few balls, and he will be given full time and security. Suryavanshi has the power to knock the world’s best bowlers out of the field. If this fearlessness is combined with the right coaching, India will not only save a child but will also produce a great player in the future. Give them opportunities, allow them to make mistakes, and let them learn on the field.
