India batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has become the youngestplayer to represent the country, making his debut in the second T20I against England in Manchester to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.
The left-hander was presented his cap by teammate Tilak Varma before the start of the match, becoming India’s 122nd men’s T20 international and its youngest international cricketer at 15 years and 99 days.
Sooryavanshi’s debut eclipses one of Indian cricket’s most enduring milestones. Tendulkar was 16 when he made his international debut in a Test match against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989 before going on to become one of the game’s greatest players.
Widely regarded as one of India’s brightest prospects, Sooryavanshi earned his first senior call-up after a meteoric rise that began with a blistering 35-ball century in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year. The teenager further enhanced his reputation in this year’s IPL, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with a strike rate of more than 237 and setting a competition record by hitting 72 sixes.
His performances prompted growing calls for a place in the national side, though selectors resisted fast-tracking him and waited until he turned 15 in March before naming him in India’s squads for the T20 series in Ireland and England. Sooryavanshi did not feature in either match against Ireland, remaining on the sidelines as India suffered a shock 2-0 series defeat.
His debut with the bat did not last long, striking two sixes before departing for a 10-ball 14.
Reuters
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