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By Vipul Kashyap
Darwin [Australia], August 12 (NI): Former Australian veteran opener Matthew Hayden believes India's young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the potential to excel in both short and long formats. While speaking to ANI, he praised the 15-year-old's courage, mental strength, and ability to thrive in the IPL (Indian Premier League), saying he has the ingredients to become a world-class player. At just 15, Sooryavanshi recently enjoyed a remarkable run in T20I cricket, scoring 151 runs in three matches against Zimbabwe to claim his maiden Player of the Series award as India completed a 3-0 clean sweep last month. Earlier, in the T20I series against England, Sooryavanshi had become India's youngest ever to be handed an international debut. "Some people say he may be a short-format player only, but I personally disagree. I believe Vaibhav has the potential to succeed in the longer format of the game as well. Fitness is certainly one part of that, but more than anything, it's about mental strength. One of the things I love about Vaibhav is that, at just 15, he had the courage and commitment to take on a major, show-stopping, blockbuster tournament like the IPL, and not just participate, but thrive in it. That tells me he has many of the right ingredients to become a world-class player," Hayden said. Hayden lauded Sooryavanshi's immense talent and development, while acknowledging that the young batter still has work to do at the highest level. He backed Sooryavanshi's potential and said his future will ultimately depend on how he shapes his career. "Vaibhav has an immense pool of talent, and we've all been incredibly excited, whether as broadcasters or coaches, to watch his development. But, as he's found out, at the very highest level, there's still work to do, and I'm sure he'll embrace that. He's a terrific young player with outstanding potential, and ultimately, it will be up to him how he wants to shape his career," he added. His India debut came on the back of a sensational IPL 2026 campaign with the Rajasthan Royals, where he amassed 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30, including a century and five fifties. His explosive run saw him finish as the tournament's leading run-scorer while setting a new record for most sixes in a season with 72. The youngster also swept the post-season awards, claiming the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player, Super Striker and Super Sixes honours. Earlier in the year, Sooryavanshi enjoyed another standout campaign at the ICC Men's Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scoring 439 runs and being named Player of the Tournament. His remarkable performances across both levels have further underlined his immense talent and potential. (ANI)
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