Bengaluru: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 15-year-old batting prodigy who took the T20 circuit by storm, is now preparing for the ultimate test of patience: red-ball cricket. The young batsman’s next major assignment is the Duleep Trophy, starting August 23 in Bengaluru, where he will step onto the field not just as a player, but as the vice-captain of his zone.
To adapt his aggressive white-ball game to the grueling demands of four-day cricket, Vaibhav recently underwent an intensive six-day training camp at the Rajasthan Royals Academy in Nagpur. For this crucial transition, he personally requested the presence of his childhood coach, Manish Ojha, from Patna.
Speaking exclusively to ABP News, Ojha detailed the rigorous preparation required for the longer format. “The Indian team management is now looking at him as a red-ball prospect. Since we have worked together since his early childhood, he feels comfortable making these technical adjustments with me,” Ojha stated.
The training deliberately shifted focus from mere strokeplay to mental endurance. Ojha explained that the primary goal was to teach the young batter how to break down a full day of Test cricket into manageable sessions—navigating the tricky pre-lunch phase, building an innings post-lunch, and capitalizing during the final session.
When Vaibhav initially became overly cautious about suppressing his natural attacking instincts, Ojha quickly corrected his mindset. “Red-ball cricket doesn’t mean stopping your shots. The key is to respect the good deliveries, leave the dangerous ones, and ruthlessly punish the loose balls,” he advised the young cricketer.
Despite achieving massive early success, including an IPL stint and a ‘Player of the Tournament’ award during India’s Under-19 tour of Zimbabwe, Vaibhav remains remarkably grounded. Ojha noted that fame hasn’t changed the teenager, who still approaches the game with the same innocence and dedication he had when he first joined the academy.
Highlighting Vaibhav’s sheer potential in the longest format, Ojha made a massive claim: “If he manages to stay at the crease for 90 overs, he has the power and talent to score a triple century.” As the Duleep Trophy approaches, the cricketing fraternity is eager to see if this T20 sensation can successfully anchor an innings with the patience required of a red-ball veteran.
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