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    STUMP VISION                                                             JUNE 26, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 43

             Fear Factor: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s

                     Explosive Talent Is Beginning to

                                           Unsettle Opponents

              The teenage batting sensation is already forcing rivals to rethink their approach, with

                       emotions boiling over during India’s dramatic clash against Sri Lanka A.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            ing the rare Super Over. The thrilling
                                                                                                                  finish  left  spectators  anticipating  an
            Colombo / Mumbai
                                                                                                                  exciting conclusion, but few expected
                  ricket has always celebrated                                                                    emotions to spill over so dramatically
                  fierce  rivalries,  but  occasion-                                                              once the cricket had ended.
            Cally a young player emerges                                                                              Ultimately, Sri Lanka A col-
            whose talent alone is enough to un-                                                                   lected the two points by winning the
            settle opponents. Vaibhav Sooryavan-                                                                  tie-breaker, leaving them all but as-
            shi appears to be becoming one such                                                                   sured of a place in the tournament final.
            cricketer.                                                                                                Despite the defeat, India’s cam-
                The teenage  batting prodigy                                                                      paign continues to produce encour-
            found himself at the centre of an ugly                                                                aging signs, particularly through the
            on-field confrontation after India A’s                                                                emergence of several exciting young
            dramatic one-day tri-series match                                                                     players. Shedge’s counter-attacking
            against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on                                                                    innings, Nigam’s resilience, Arshad
            Monday. Although the hosts eventu-                                                                    Khan’s nerve under  pressure and
            ally prevailed in a Super Over, much                                                                  Sooryavanshi’s  growing presence
            of the post-match discussion revolved                                                                 have all highlighted the depth of In-
            around the heated exchange involv-                                                                    dia’s next generation.
            ing Sooryavanshi and Sri Lankan                                                                           Among      them,    however,
            player Vishen Halambage, an inci-                                                                     Sooryavanshi continues to attract the
            dent that suggested the youngster’s   At an age when most cricketers are still learning the basics of professional cricket, Vaibhav   greatest attention.
            growing reputation is already making                                                                      While his statistics from this
            opponents nervous.                  Sooryavanshi is increasingly attracting special attention from opponents determined to   particular match may not define the
                According  to  ESPNcricinfo,                         contain him (ANI file photo)                 contest, his reputation clearly did.
            tensions boiled over immediate-                                                                       The willingness of opponents to en-
            ly after the Super Over concluded,   ing action has already drawn com-  mentum swings.                gage him emotionally reflects a play-
            with Sooryavanshi and Halambage   parisons with Sri Lankan pace star    India A looked headed for a   er whose impact extends beyond runs
            becoming involved in a verbal alter-  Matheesha  Pathirana,  kept  both   heavy defeat after collapsing to 143   alone. Opposition teams increasingly
            cation that reportedly escalated into   Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge   for seven. However, Suryansh Shedge   recognise that allowing the teenager
            physical  contact.  As  tempers  flared   quiet during the decisive over.  and Vipraj Nigam produced a mag-  to settle could prove costly, making
            in the fading light, Sri Lanka A wick-  Yet  while  Sri  Lanka  celebrat-  nificent  rescue  act,  adding  104  runs   psychological pressure another weap-
            etkeeper Niroshan Dickwella inter-  ed victory, the emotional aftermath   for the eighth wicket to revive the in-  on in their arsenal.
            vened to separate the players before   underlined another story unfolding   nings. Their partnership lifted India   That approach, however, carries
            the situation worsened.           around Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise. At   A to a competitive total of 265 after   risks. Attempts to intimidate gifted
                The confrontation came at the   an age when most cricketers are still   what had appeared an almost hope-  young players often strengthen their
            end of one of the most dramatic   learning the basics of professional   less position.                resolve rather than weaken it. Many
            matches of the tournament.        cricket, he is increasingly attracting   Sri  Lanka  A  responded  confi-  of cricket’s greatest batsmen have
                After  both  teams  finished  tied   special attention from opponents de-  dently,  anchored by  an  excellent 93   learned early in their careers that hos-
            at the end of their allotted 50 overs,   termined to contain him.   from Sadeera Samarawickrama. His   tile words and aggressive behaviour
            the contest moved into a Super Over.   Aggressive tactics, close verbal   composed innings kept the hosts   frequently accompany success.
            Sri Lanka A posted 16 runs, immedi-  exchanges and visible celebrations   firmly  in  control  for  much  of  the   Monday’s incident may there-
            ately placing India A under immense   have become familiar  responses   chase and appeared to have taken the   fore represent another milestone in
            pressure. Chasing the target, India A   whenever the young left-hander   match away from India.       Sooryavanshi’s development. Rather
            could manage only nine runs as debu-  walks to the crease. Monday’s con-  But the visitors refused to sur-  than simply being viewed as a prom-
            tant fast bowler Kugathas Mathulan   frontation appeared to be another   render.                      ising youngster, he is beginning to be
            delivered a composed performance   example of the pressure and scrutiny   Arshad Khan delivered an out-  treated as a genuine threat—some-
            under pressure to seal victory for the   that accompany exceptional talent.  standing  final  over  that  dramatical-  one capable of changing matches and
            home side.                            The match itself had been an   ly altered the course of the contest,   forcing opponents out of their com-
                Mathulan, whose slingy bowl-  extraordinary contest filled with mo-  dragging the game into a tie and forc-  fort zone.

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