U-19 Asia Cup: Vaibhav story grows, but senior India call-up can wait

The ecstasy in Pakistan camp after Vaibhav Suryavanshi fell cheaply during their Under-19  Asia Cup clash in Dubai on Sunday summed up how prized his wicket was. It’s didn’t make much of a difference in the end as the Boys in Blue won the big game by a whopping 90 runs but underlined that Vaibhav has become one of the marquee batters in the circuit in recent months.

 It was only on Friday that Vaibhav took an ordinary UAE attack to the cleaners – scoring 171 off 95 balls in the tournament’s first Group A match at the ICC Academy ground. The shorter boundaries at the venue hardly proved a challenge for the 14-year-old prodigious talent from Samastipur in Bihar as he hit 14 sixes and nine boundaries,  overtaking the previous record of 12 sixes – the most in a single innings in a youth ODI by Australia’s Michael Hill in 2008.

 The remarkable display of power-hitting saw Vaibhav etch his name into the tournament's record books, overtaking the record for the most sixes hit by a batter in a single innings of the U-19 Asia Cup held by Afghanistan’s Darwish Rasooli (10 sixes in 2017). His effort, in which the century came in 56 balls, is now the second-highest score by an Indian in a Youth ODI, falling just short of Ambati Rayudu’s 177 not out against England U-19 in 2002.

The last eight months or so has seen Vaibhav emerge as the most talked about junior India cricketer, thanks to his sensational IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals, Emerging Asia Cup or with the U-19 national teams. He may have lost out on race for youth team’s captaincy to Ayush Mhatre, but his personal coach Manish Ojha raised the pitch for Vaibhav to be in the mix for upcoming T20 World Cup.

Speaking to My Khel.com, Ojha said: ‘’I believe he’s absolutely ready for a break in the Indian team. Look at his IPL performances – he faced international bowlers, domestic stars, or even India players with fearless strokeplay, smashing big shots against the best. In U-19 cricket, whether it was the England tour, Australia’s or the Asia Cup – across emerging teams, every field, every pitch, every conditions – he’s dominated. He’s consistent against all types of bowlers, delivering massive hundreds every time.’’

Vaibhav’s childhood coach may have a case, but then the youngster certainly has time on his hands. India’s T20I squad, which will be defending the crown in two months’ time, will be under enormous pressure at home and the stipulation of a 15-member squad in ICC tournaments means locking down one spot if Vaibhav is made a part of the squad. It’s a fact that not all key batters of Suryakumar Yadav’s side are in the best of form, but it’s still untenable to make the youngster part of the squad purely on the basis of his powerplay charges.

While his breaking into the senior India team may can wait, the power which the Bihar lad is being able to pack behind his strokes – especially the aerial ones – has left most in awe. The tender age of Vaibhav has added to the element of surprise, while there has been a strong buzz in Bihar cricketing circles about the veracity of his age. 

 The yearend will offer Vaibhav a good opportunity to show that he is capable of shifting gears to build his innings as well in Vijay Hazare Trophy (50-overs format) from December 24 where his state Bihar are scheduled to play three weaker North East teams in the Plate: Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram. He will also be a greater scrutiny in IPL 2026 as well where the rival bowlers may try to tuck him up from freeing his arms.

 Let’s face it: Vaibhav may still be a work in progress, but sky could be the limit for him!