Harare, July 27 — After clinching the Player of the Series following India's 3-0 T20I series triumph over Zimbabwe, teenaged batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has credited interim head coach VVS Laxman and batting coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar for giving him complete tactical freedom and sound guidance.
At the Harare Sports Club on Sunday, Sooryavanshi top-scored with a 49-ball 81 as India posted 192/5 on a slow pitch, after hitting a 19-ball fifty in the first game. In all, Sooryavanshi scored 151 runs in three innings, which is in stark contrast to his lean run in England, where he amassed just 42 runs in three innings.
"Being a Player of the Match, playing for the senior Indian team, and being a Player of the Series is a dream come true for me. I am very happy and I would like to thank everyone who supported me in my journey. I am thankful to the seniors and coaching staff.
“The way our head coaches, VVS sir and Hrishikesh sir spoke to me before the match, they discussed a lot with me about how I was feeling at that time. Before the series started, what I was feeling, what mindset I was in. They gave me a free hand and told me to just play and not think about anything,” said Sooryavanshi in a video posted on BCCI’s social media accounts on Monday.
He also highlighted his bond with wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who hails from Patna, his home state, adding that it has made his transition into the national setup seamless. “I don't feel that I am alone or that I am in a senior team. It feels like I play all the matches at all places. Ishan bhaiya is also from Bihar, so the vibe matches.”