On Tuesday, the persistent rain in Guwahati paused just in time for the eagerly awaited IPL match between the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. As Jasprit Bumrah delivered his first ball, it found its way into the hitting zone on the leg-and-middle line, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi\u2019s bat was perfectly positioned. The ball soared toward the long-on stands, showcasing Sooryavanshi’s distinctive high backlift, which captivated the audience once again.<\/p>\n
Zubin Bharucha, who has coached Sooryavanshi since he was 13, commented, \u201cWhenever someone mentions that his backlift is too high and could lead to problems, I can’t help but laugh. He\u2019s hitting deliveries at speeds of 155 kmph, facing bowlers like Bumrah and Jofra Archer. That\u2019s his unique strength, and it sets him apart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bharucha elaborated on the significance of Sooryavanshi’s backlift, which he believes provides \u201ctime and space.\u201d These are critical elements that batsmen strive for but often struggle to achieve against top-tier fast bowling. \u201cThe idea that his high backlift could cause him to be late on the ball is a misconception. The swing of the bat actually allows him more time, which many refer to as playing late. The farther back he positions the bat, the more time he creates, and the wider the swing goes, the more space he has. This is part of his unique batting style,\u201d Bharucha explained.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on his first encounter with Sooryavanshi at the trials, Bharucha recalled noticing the young player\u2019s unique gait and grip on the bat. When he inquired about Sooryavanshi’s cricket idol, he expected a contemporary player like Rishabh Pant, but was surprised to hear, \u201cNahi sir, Brian Lara.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bharucha was impressed; it was unusual for a 13-year-old from Bihar, who likely only saw Lara play through videos, to idolize a player whose career had already concluded. However, the influence of Lara was evident the moment Sooryavanshi played his first ball. \u201cSanju Samson has a high backlift that reaches almost above his head, while Riyan Parag\u2019s goes even higher. Dhruv Jurel\u2019s is moderate, and Yashasvi Jaiswal\u2019s also rises significantly. Yet, no one matches Vaibhav in how his wrists can snap back even further and extend wider,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
Bharucha highlighted how Sooryavanshi\u2019s backlift goes extraordinarily far back, nearly reaching a vertical position and even further as the wrist snaps the bat back, resembling a catapult action. \u201cThis level of flexibility is quite rare, and it appears effortless for Vaibhav,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Bharucha observed that Sooryavanshi’s head position at the crease reminded him of Sachin Tendulkar. \u201cWatch how his head leans over his toes while waiting for the bowler, often positioning it outside the off stump depending on his stance,\u201d he advised. While traditionalists might interpret this as a flaw, Bharucha counters that understanding how the upper and lower body move independently shows that a forward-leaning head can still allow the feet to advance toward the ball. \u201cEvery batsman should adopt a forward head position like Vaibhav,\u201d Bharucha suggested.<\/p>\n
The slight bend in Sooryavanshi\u2019s back that supports this head position is advantageous. \u201cThe ball is rarely outside his eyeline; it typically remains within it as he approaches,\u201d Bharucha explained. This capability allows Sooryavanshi to effectively deal with deliveries on the off-stump line. \u201cHe can effortlessly redirect the ball to the leg side, facilitating his natural movement toward the ball,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Bharucha went further, drawing parallels to Tendulkar\u2019s early career. \u201cLook at footage of a young Sachin. His head was positioned over his front foot, just outside the off stump, which helped him avoid LBW issues. It was only later, when he adopted a more upright stance, that he began experiencing such dismissals,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
This comparison is significant and analytical. The head position that conventional wisdom might label as flawed was, in fact, a key factor in keeping one of cricket’s greatest batsmen free from LBW trouble during the initial phase of his career.<\/p>\n
As for Sooryavanshi\u2019s footwork, Bharucha emphasized that the back foot must move forward to maintain balance and facilitate a smooth transition into the shot. \u201cWhen the back foot remains stationary, that can cause issues with the head position. Like Tendulkar, Vaibhav\u2019s back foot shifts in harmony with his movements, placing him in an optimal position,\u201d he elaborated.<\/p>\n
Bharucha also saw elements of Rahul Dravid\u2019s technique in Sooryavanshi. \u201cDo you recall Dravid’s wrist flick to align his bat with the stumps? Once his bat reached its peak during the backlift, he would snap it down with a wrist motion, especially for deliveries targeting the stumps. Vaibhav mimics this from a wider angle, but his elbows remain straight at contact, giving him greater power than Dravid while retaining that stylistic imprint,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Sooryavanshi is currently addressing the challenges posed by bowlers who target deliveries on length or back-of-length, responding with impressive bat speed. He effectively deals with full-length balls, but the ones that swing in pose a greater threat. While he manages to execute a Dravid-like wrist snap to redirect the bat quickly, Bharucha noted it’s a work in progress. \u201cAt present, the bat often angles toward mid-off, creating an impression of jabbing. We\u2019re focusing on directing his hands toward the umpire, which will enable him to utilize that forward head position more effectively, allowing for straighter drives or flicks to midwicket and square leg,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
In a recent match against the Chennai Super Kings, left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed tested Sooryavanshi’s technique with a delivery that swung in, striking him on the back thigh. The following morning, Bharucha sought to analyze…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On Tuesday, the persistent rain in Guwahati paused just in time for the eagerly awaited IPL match between the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. As Jasprit Bumrah delivered his first ball, it found its way into the hitting zone on the leg-and-middle line, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi\u2019s bat was perfectly positioned. The ball soared toward the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5219,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[152,40,153],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-cricket","category-india","category-in-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n