Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has opined he would back Vaibhav Sooryavanshi even if he failed in 10 matches. Sooryavanshi made his T20I debut against England in the second T20I at Old Trafford, Manchester on Saturday but was dismissed after scoring 14 runs off 10 balls.
In the third T20I against the hosts, the youngster scored 13 runs and was dismissed on a short delivery. Sooryavanshi had received his maiden T20I call-up after scoring 776 runs in 16 matches of IPL 2026 at a blistering strike rate of 237.30.
Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube Channel, “The way Vaibhav Suryavanshi has shown his potential, if I were the captain or the coach, I’d be willing to back him even if he failed in 10 matches. Yes, I’m talking about giving him 10 games. Of course, Indian cricket usually doesn’t have that kind of patience. People don’t wait that long, but I’d be ready to give him those opportunities because of the potential he has shown. I understand that he hasn’t had the best start. For any young player, making an India debut is never easy. He didn’t get a chance in Ireland, and then he made his debut in England, where facing bowlers like Jofra Archer and others in those conditions is never simple.”
The former UP batter said Sooryavanshi has all the talent with tremendous potential to go a long way in his career.
“He’s only 15 years old, an immensely talented batter with tremendous potential. It was never going to be easy for him to make his debut under those circumstances. Yes, we all say he’s ready, and I do believe he is. But even then, he’ll need some time. He’ll take a little while to adjust to the conditions, adapt to the level, and learn how to read different match situations. But the talent is extraordinary. That’s why the team shouldn’t rush to judge him. Keep playing him. All it will take is one innings where he gets going, and the runs will come in a big way. He’s the kind of player who can score 60 off 20 balls or 70 or 80 off 25 balls.”
Sooryavanshi would look to get a big score in the fourth T20I.
