Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (AP Photo)
NEW DELHI: India spin great Harbhajan Singh believes there is only one way to tackle Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary strokeplay — attack the 15-year-old and go for his wicket rather than trying to contain him. Sooryavanshi has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young batters in the game, with Harbhajan admitting he has never seen a player dominate at such a young age. “Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is extraordinary. He is a unique player. I have not seen a player like him before, one who can dominate the world at 14-15 years of age,” Harbhajan told PTI in an interview. The Rajasthan Royals prodigy became the youngest player in IPL history when he debuted at 14 in 2025 before smashing a 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans to become the youngest batter to score a century in men's T20 cricket. His rise continued this year when he became India’s youngest international debutant at 15 years and 99 days.
‘The only way to survive is to attack him’
Sooryavanshi’s fearlessness was on full display during the IPL when he hit the first deliveries from premier pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins for sixes. For Harbhajan, the fact that elite bowlers are forced to think about where to bowl to a teenager is itself a remarkable statement. “When the world's top bowlers are bowling to him, they are actually thinking about where to bowl. That itself is a big, big statement,” he said. So how should a bowler approach Sooryavanshi? “The only way to survive is to attack him. You go at him and you take his wicket,” Harbhajan said. “It may not work all the time. Sometimes you might even get smashed. He would've hit sixes. But that is part of the game. You have to accept that he's good.” Harbhajan said he would not allow Sooryavanshi’s batting to dictate his field settings in the powerplay. “I won't set the field according to what he's doing. I'll set the field according to what I'm doing. If I bowl to escape, I won't be able to get him out,” he said. “You go at him and you take his wicket. You might get success, you might not. That's just a matter of time. You have to accept that he's good.”
‘The next ball should be about how to get him out’
Harbhajan believes the challenge is as much mental as tactical, with Sooryavanshi capable of making experienced bowlers question themselves. “But still, the next ball should be about how to get him out,” he said. The former India spinner’s advice reflects the unusual challenge posed by Sooryavanshi, whose attacking approach means opponents cannot simply rely on defensive fields or containment. For Harbhajan, accepting that the teenager may score boundaries is part of the risk that comes with taking the aggressive route.
