Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may have found himself at the center of a major controversy in Dambulla but he has received strong backing from India spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutale, who believes the youngster should not be judged too quickly.
The incident took place after India A suffered a dramatic Super Over defeat to Sri Lanka A in the Tri-Nation A Series. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, just 15 years old, was handed a difficult task in the Super Over, with India needing 14 runs from the final three balls. Despite his efforts, he was unable to complete the chase.
Following the final delivery, tensions flared on the field. Reports suggested that several Sri Lankan players directed comments toward Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after he failed to score the winning runs. The teenager initially appeared ready to walk away from the situation. However, things escalated when his batting partner, Suryansh Shedge, turned back to confront the Sri Lankan players. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi joined the exchange and eventually pushed Sri Lankan cricketer Vishen Halambage during the heated confrontation.
Reacting to the incident, Sairaj Bahutale described it as unfortunate and urged people not to rush to conclusions without knowing exactly what led to the altercation. He said that, based on his experience with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the young batter is usually calm and composed. The coach also stressed that players from both the teams should be guided on maintaining proper behaviour and sportsmanship during competitive matches.
Sairaj Bahutale expressed confidence that experienced coaches would speak to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi about the incident and help him understand how such situations can be handled better in the future. He added that representing India comes with significant responsibility, especially for a player as young as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and believes the teenager will learn valuable lessons from the episode.
The former India spinner also emphasised that efforts would be made to ensure the youngster understands why the incident occurred and how similar situations can be avoided going forward. According to Sairaj Bahutale, greater awareness and education regarding on-field conduct can help prevent such confrontations.
Despite the controversy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s busy schedule continues. Before joining the senior Indian squad for the upcoming T20I series in Ireland and England in the coming days, he is expected to play a crucial must-win match for India A against Afghanistan A on Wednesday.
