Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pauses interview as Aussie legend approaches him for a favour

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi told the broadcaster to give him a second as he acknowledged the Aussie great's favour.

The Vaibhav Sooryavanshi craze is spreading rapidly. So much so that forget Indians… even Australian legends want a piece of the teen freak. As expected, Sooryavanshi was surrounded by broadcasters after he set the stage on fire with his breathtaking knock of 93 that helped Rajasthan Royals chase down 221 against Lucknow Super Giants. Heck, even Sanjiv Goenka, the LSG owner, met up with the 15-year-old for a chat after the match. However, it’s what came after that swept the ground off Sooryavanshi’s feet.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was gutted on missing out his hundred (AFP)

As Sooryavanshi was giving an interview following his batting exploits, he noticed a certain Aussie great approaching him. It was none other than LSG head coach Justin Langer, who asked for a small favour – a picture with the teenager. Usually, at 15, it is youngsters who seek opportunities to meet their heroes. But Sooryavanshi is not your everyday teenager, is he? Yet to make his India debut, Sooryavanshi has already built a cult following, and it appears Langer is part of it too.

“Hang on a second,” Sooryavanshi told the broadcaster before turning his attention towards Langer as the former Aussie opener walked towards him. “Can I get a picture?” he asked, which Sooryavanshi gladly acknowledged, “Yes, sir, please”. After a warm handshake, Langer applied icing on the cake when he said, “I’m going to treasure that photo”.

Langer in awe of Sooryavanshi

Langer, during his time as Australia’s head coach, had famously said that Virat Kohli is the greatest batter he had ever seen. But his view seems to have changed after watching Sooryavanshi go hammer and tongs against his Lucknow bowlers. For someone who’s been in the Australian cricketing circuit for close to four decades, what he said next about Sooryavanshi is likely to go down as one of the greatest compliments the youngster has received.

"In all my time, I've seen some amazing players in 35 years of cricket. To see a young man bat like that, not just tonight but throughout the series, is breathtaking. Do you know how I judge it? I think the last game, Mitchell Starc, who's one of the all-time great white-ball bowlers, he's bowling, and you look at the expression on his face. Anrich Nortje is a world-class international bowler, and Sooryavanshi is hitting him. The expression on their face is such that: 'What is happening here?',” Langer said during the post-match press conference.

"So whilst as an ex-batter, knowing how hard batting is, I think, 'What is going on here?' The bowlers are thinking, 'What on earth is going on here?' It's quite incredible actually to be able to play that way, and now have the orange cap. You know, sometimes when players play like that, there's high risk to it, and yet he's doing it in every form of the game and scoring a lot of runs, and ultimately that's what the game is about.”

Sooryavanshi mentioned it was a proud moment for him and admitted that interactions with senior cricketers, former players, and coaches significantly boost his confidence. He added that their guidance helps him during matches, while stressing that he is simply trying to go with the flow and hopes his form continues throughout the tournament. The teenager also reiterated his desire to contribute as much as possible towards the team’s success.

Sooryavanshi focussed on the goal

With RR yet to officially qualify for the Playoffs despite moving closer to the final four, it would have been easy for Sooryavanshi to get carried away by qualification scenarios and record-breaking feats. Instead, it was his level-headedness that stood out.

“I’ll try and hit more sixes in the upcoming games as well. We all decided to keep doing what we were doing. And enjoy the moment without feeling any pressure. Play good cricket. And focus on the strengths, which is what we want for the next game too. We’re trying not to focus on the qualification scenario. It’s there in everyone’s mind, but we’re trying to be better every day,” Sooryavanshi pointed out.