Young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi is one of the most talked-about young cricketers in India right now. Wherever you look, his name is in the discussion. Some people are backing him strongly, while others have raised questions over the hype around him.
However, Suryavanshi has answered many of those questions with his bat so far.
His IPL performance is a good example. Questions were raised over how he would perform against world-class bowlers, but the youngster showed no fear. He took on some of the biggest names, including Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, and showed that reputation does not stop him from playing his natural game.
There were questions at the international level as well. After struggling during the England series, Suryavanshi came under criticism. However, he responded strongly against Zimbabwe, including an 80-plus score and another half-century.
Now, another challenge is waiting for him — red-ball cricket.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi Faces a Big Duleep Trophy Challenge
The Duleep Trophy squads have recently been announced, with Vaibhav Suryavanshi being named vice-captain of East Zone.
The decision has created plenty of discussion.
At such a young age, giving Suryavanshi the vice-captaincy is certainly a big responsibility. Some have also questioned whether putting an additional leadership burden on him at this stage of his career is the right decision.
The biggest reason behind these questions is his record in red-ball cricket.
Suryavanshi has already made a name for himself as an explosive T20 batter. However, his First-Class numbers have not been as impressive. He is yet to produce the kind of consistent performances in red-ball cricket that he has shown in the shorter format.
That is why the upcoming Duleep Trophy could be very important for him.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi Joins Rajasthan Royals Camp
Suryavanshi, however, is not taking the challenge lightly.
Ahead of the Duleep Trophy, he has joined a Rajasthan Royals camp and started special preparation for red-ball cricket. The camp is expected to run for around 10 days.
Several other players are also practising at the camp, including Tushar Deshpande, Shubham Dubey, Sandeep Sharma and Sushant Mishra.
For Suryavanshi, the most important part is his red-ball preparation. After making his name with aggressive batting in T20 cricket, this camp gives him an opportunity to work on the different demands of the longer format.
Special Focus on Red-Ball Cricket
The Rajasthan Royals camp provides players with several facilities to work on different areas of their game.
Technical skill development, strength and conditioning, workload management, recovery and performance analysis are some of the areas players can work on through individually designed training programmes.
Another important part is practising in different pitch conditions.
Domestic cricket in India can test a batter in completely different ways from one venue to another. Practising on different surfaces can help players prepare for the challenges they may face during the season.
For Suryavanshi, this could be particularly useful.
His attacking ability is already well known. He can put pressure on bowlers from the start, but red-ball cricket demands much more than aggressive strokeplay.
Defence, patience, leaving the ball outside off stump and batting for long periods will be equally important. His shot selection against the moving ball will also be tested when he plays in tougher conditions.
A Chance for Vaibhav Suryavanshi to Answer His Critics Again
Suryavanshi has faced several questions despite being at such an early stage of his career. More importantly, he has often tried to answer those questions with performances rather than words.
The Duleep Trophy will now give him another opportunity.
There will be attention on his role as East Zone vice-captain, but his batting will remain the bigger talking point. If he can score runs and play long innings in red-ball cricket, many of the questions around his First-Class game could start disappearing.
Joining the Rajasthan Royals camp also shows that Suryavanshi is preparing seriously for the challenge.
T20 cricket has already shown everyone what Vaibhav Suryavanshi can do when he attacks. The Duleep Trophy could now give us a better idea of what he can do when red-ball cricket tests his technique, patience and temperament.
And once again, the best way for him to answer the critics will be with the bat.
