Just mention Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and a host of his achievements flash through the mind. There is his blistering 58-ball hundred on his Under-19 Test debut; the fastest for an Indian Under-19 player. He also essayed a ton in a Youth Test against Australia Under-19 last year, alongside his astounding knock of 144 off just 42 balls while playing for India A against the United Arab Emirates in the Asia Cup Rising Stars T20 match. Lest we forget, at the tender age of 14, he composed a quickfire 35-ball century in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).
In a freewheeling chat with RevSportz, Manish Ojha, his coach, shares his thoughts on the mental side of constructing an innings, upskilling Vaibhav’s game, the reasons behind India Under-19’s failure to chase down a massive target in the Under-19 Asia Cup final, the squad’s prospects in the Under-19 World Cup, and more.
Ahead of India Under-19’s tour of South Africa and the Under-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia, did you have any discussions with Vaibhav Suryavanshi with regard to his batting or any other aspects of his game?
He was going for the South African tour. I discussed on how he needs to stay at the wicket for long, what should be his shot selection, and how to plan an innings. Recently, I went to Ranchi and Kolkata to watch Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games. What I saw was him trying to hit each and every ball. But you can’t hit every ball. You have to respect the good deliveries. It is not like every ball will be a loose delivery. So, just discussed how he needs to be a bit careful about those good deliveries.
He has the potential to score a lot of runs. The longer he stays, it will be beneficial for him. And the longer he stays, it will be good for the team’s morale too. The initial starts that he is getting, those 30s and 40s… If he stays for longer periods, he will convert those into big ones like, say, 150. So, I gave these inputs.
What about the conditions in countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe? How do you look at Vaibhav’s game when it comes to playing in those conditions?
He will get bouncy wickets in South Africa. It will be an advantage for Vaibhav. He plays horizontal-bat shots very well, like the pull and cut. But he can capitalise on it only when he stays at the wicket for a longer period of time. If there is bounce, shots like the cut and upper-cut will be easier to hit. In India, the bounce will be knee high. In foreign conditions, the bounce will be around waist height. So, the ball will bounce more. Your shot selection has to be a bit careful, you have to adjust according to the bounce.
What are your views on the current Indian Under-19 set-up? Do you believe they have a chance of winning the World Cup?
It is a very balanced squad, it has got a lot of depth in the batting. As a captain, Ayush Mhatre is a good player. Alongside Vaibhav, there is (Vedant) Trivedi, (Abhigyan) Kundu, Vihaan Malhotra. So, they have good depth. If every individual contributes, they can pile up big scores like 300 or 400. One by one, everyone has to contribute in some way or the other. Then, India can easily win this World Cup. The bowling line-up is also decent, the spin attack also is good. Overall, it is a very balanced team, and there are high prospects of winning the tournament.
Let’s take a jog back to the Asia Cup Under-19 final played between India and Pakistan. What do you think went wrong as India pursued a massive target?
As I said to you before, for the Indian team, when Vaibhav stays at the wicket for a longer period of time, it would be an advantage. As long Vaibhav was at the wicket, the runs were coming quickly. The team was not under a lot of pressure. The moment he got out, the rest of the team panicked. Pakistan had got 347 runs, that was a huge total. Others couldn’t score quickly while trying to maintain the run-rate and the team collapsed.
Yes, it was a huge score, but it is a learning lesson. They have to try till the last ball. It isn’t like you need to score a lot of runs in the first 5-10 overs itself. Even if you score a little less, if wickets are intact, then there would be more probability for India to win the game. In early overs, if the middle order batters get exposed to the new ball, then there is a chance that the score wouldn’t be chased down. All the players should learn from MS Dhoni, he is such a great finisher because he takes the match right till the end. No one can predict, he can win the match by hitting the last ball. So, the coaches need to guide the youngsters that there is no need to get into panic mode and try to hit every ball – minimise the risks and score the runs.
How do you look at Vaibhav’s evolution as a batter, especially in the context of playing the longest and the shortest format of the game?
He scored a hundred when Australia Under-19 came to India in 2024. Then he went to England, scored a century in the longer format (one-day cricket). He scored a hundred in Australia. Gradually, as he plays more matches, he will mature, and he will adapt his game to all three formats. Recently, he scored 93 in the Ranji Trophy. Earlier, he was unable to score big runs in the Ranji Trophy. Gradually, as he plays these big matches – whichever players that he is playing alongside, and being guided by the coaches – his maturity will grow. I hope he can adapt his game to all the formats.
Has he worked on any areas of his batting in the recent past?
During the Ranji Trophy, he did practice sessions with me. In that, we discussed how he needs to play in the longer formats of the game, and he practiced accordingly. During those sessions, our main focus was on the drives, leaving those deliveries which are away from the stumps, trying to play with the full face of the bat with minimum application of the bottom hand. We also worked on the pull shot. In the past, his head would go back, with him looking to play the pull via fine leg. Then I suggested that he not get his head back, but for it to come a little more in front. And then, with his hand extension, to hit it through midwicket and square leg.
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