- Sangakkara witnessed Vaibhav dominate elite fast bowlers in nets.
- Youngster’s aggressive strokeplay stunned coaches; Sangakkara praised his readiness.
- Vaibhav recently smashed fastest List A fifty; awaiting India debut.
IRE vs IND: Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara has shared an incredible experience regarding teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi that will give cricket fans goosebumps. The remarkable net session occurred last year just before the Indian Premier League tournament when Sangakkara observed the youngster effortlessly dominating world-class fast bowlers.
Gunshots In Guwahati Nets
The fascinating incident unfolded while Sangakkara served as the director of cricket for Rajasthan Royals alongside India legend Rahul Dravid. The former left-handed icon watched closely as the young prodigy fearlessly volunteered to face the quickest bowlers.
The teenage batsman displayed immense composure under difficult practice conditions, willingly entering an uncomfortable side net that other squad members avoided. He faced brand new balls against elite operational pacers Sandeep Sharma and England speedster Jofra Archer.
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Kumar Sangakkara recalls the first time he saw Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in action 🤯 pic.twitter.com/lMw8N7WLht
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 26, 2026
Speaking on Sky Sports Cricket during the live coverage of the opening international fixture in Belfast, Sangakkara detailed the sheer impact of the youngster’s aggressive strokeplay.
“I first saw Vaibhav when I came in for a two-week period to Guwahati. And I went to the side, there was this tiny, horrible little side net in terms of facing up to the likes of Archer and Sandeep Sharma and all the fast bowlers with new balls, and no one really wanted to bat there. And I saw this, Vaibhav walking [and telling him], ‘I’ll bat.’ New balls on, and I could just hear the sound of his bat, like a gunshot every single time,” Sangakkara related to Sky Sports Cricket.
Feedback Delivered to Rahul Dravid
The explosive batting display completely astonished the coaching staff as the young left-hander executed powerful boundary strokes. The raw power generated by the teenager left an indelible mark on everyone present at the ground.
The sheer audacity of the clean hitting forced the premier England fast bowler to pause his practice spell in genuine disbelief. The youngster treated the express pace with total tactical authority.
“And I think he just put Archer to the sword; he put Sandeep Sharma to the sword. So much so that at one time, I think Archer stopped and laughed. Because he was bowling quickly, and this 14-year-old kid was just treating him with absolute disdain,” Sangakkara added on Sky Sports Cricket.
Following the conclusion of the session, the strategic director immediately conveyed his glowing assessment to head coach Dravid. He affirmed that the prodigy possessed the required maturity to debut at the highest level.
“And that’s when I saw him, and my feedback to Rahul, walking out, was, yeah, ready to play anytime you want him to play. Kid’s just incredible,” Sangakkara revealed on Sky Sports Cricket.
India Debut & Selection Decisions
Sooryavanshi sat out the opening international match on Friday as a transitional Indian lineup suffered a disappointing 34-run defeat at Stormont Ground. Chasing a target of 183, the visitors collapsed to 148 all out.
The pressure has intensified heavily on the team management before Sunday’s final fixture at the same venue. The coaching staff must decide whether to give the exciting young prospect his international cap.
The young batsman recently made global headlines by smashing the fastest List A half-century off just 11 balls. If omitted on Sunday, his highly anticipated debut will likely happen during the five-match series in England.
