What worked for Vaibhav in Zimbabwe? His childhood coach opens up
After a rather ordinary start to his international career in England, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi put on a wonderful exhibition of batting during India’s tour of Zimbabwe, notching up a couple of fifties. In an exclusive chat with RevSportz, Manish Ojha, Vaibhav’s childhood coach, shares his thoughts on what worked for the 15-year-old prodigy during the T20I series in Zimbabwe. He also delves deeper into the left-hand batter’s stupendous batting in the 2026 IPL.
After a rather modest performance in England, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi proved his worth in Zimbabwe…
In the series against Zimbabwe, Vaibhav was more confident, and his mindset looked better. The tour to Ireland and England was his first tour with the Indian team. It takes time for any player to settle into the team environment and then adapt to the conditions. He also has enough experience of playing in Zimbabwe. Last year, in the Under-19 World Cup final, he scored 175 runs and helped India become world champions.
First of all, he has some experience of the conditions. VVS Laxman also knows him from the days of working with him at the NCA and with the Under-19 team; he has seen Vaibhav from close quarters. The support staff understood him better as they had worked with him for a long time. That is one of the reasons why he is playing with more maturity. In the initial matches, he seemed anxious. Here, he has shown a little more patience, taken time to settle in, concentrated on strike rotation, and added new things. Those are the reasons why the series went very well for Vaibhav.
You just discussed ‘adding new things’. Can you elaborate on it?
He was even rotating the strike in the last game. He had become impatient and was trying to hit every ball (in England). In the last game, he stayed at the crease long enough, analysed the wicket, and when he got loose deliveries, he played big strokes. Secondly, his mindset and set-up looked much better and more positive; he seemed far more confident. It looks like he is able to handle pressure and play according to the requirements.
Did you notice any tweaks in his footwork during the Zimbabwe tour?
He hasn’t added much in terms of footwork. A mature player is one who plays according to the merit of the ball; his footwork and everything else are based on it. He hasn’t added anything unique. But whatever existing skills he has, Vaibhav has applied them better. That has been his approach.
During the tours of the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe, did you have any conversations with Vaibhav?
During the England series, after two games, I did talk to him. I had given him the input that he should try to stay at the wicket for a while longer. It is not compulsory to hit a bowler who is bowling with a good line and length; you don’t need to commit to predetermined shots. You might have seen there was a kind of tussle between Archer and him, and he was trying to hit him. I told him, “There are 120 balls in a T20 match. If you stay at the wicket for about 10 overs, you will easily get 80-90 runs. You have the strokes; the runs will come.” Probably he didn’t adopt it during the England tour, but in Zimbabwe, he is batting with focus and maturity.
How do you look back at his stupendous performance in the 2026 IPL?
I feel his mindset and preparations are of that kind. His potential came through in the IPL based on the kind of preparations he has done from an early stage and continues to do now. The fearlessness in his strokes and shot execution… the foundation for that was laid at an early stage.
What were the salient features of Vaibhav that made him a standout performer from a very young age?
When he was doing his basic preparations, one started to feel that, compared to his age group, his batting was at a much higher level. We started putting him in match simulations and open-net sessions. He used to be 10 or 11 years old then, and the bowlers were from the Under-19 and state-level teams. He got the chance to play quality spinners in those sessions.
In age-group matches, it seemed easy for him. Obviously, as he was practising with the seniors at the age of 11, the quality of bowling at the Under-16 and Under-19 levels was perhaps easier for him. He would play a lot of shots and score runs. That is how his confidence and shot execution improved significantly. Over a period of time, being part of such a process has helped him gain so much confidence. He has worked so hard that wherever he plays—whether in the IPL, for India, or in domestic cricket—he bats in a similar style.
The post What worked for Vaibhav in Zimbabwe? His childhood coach opens up appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
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