Mumbai: With so many batters hammering away, scoring runs in the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) is no big deal. Even becoming the youngest centurion, as Vaibhav Suryavanshi did on Tuesday at the age of 14, is also not a feat that stands out. His hundred didn’t even help Bihar win their game against Maharashtra.
But there clearly is something about the left-hander. The youngster’s exploits in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars last month made everyone sit up and take notice because there, he was part of a batting line-up packed with players who had all done well in the IPL.
The team included Priyansh Arya, Naman Dhir, Jitesh Sharma, Nehal Wadhera, Ashutosh Sharma and Ramandeep Singh – all vying to prove their credentials and stake their claim for the senior India side.
But as the tournament progressed, it was obvious that the wicket the bowlers of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh wanted the most was Suryavanshi. Against Pakistan Shaheens, the left-hand batter had the bowlers scurrying for cover during his 28-ball 45. His dismissal signalled the end of India’s challenge. In the semi-final against Bangladesh, he started in similar fashion, making the bowlers run for cover during a 15-ball 38 with two fours and four sixes.
In the tournament, he amassed 239 runs, including a 32-ball century against the UAE, at an average of 59.75 and a staggering strike rate of 243.87.
Zubin Bharucha, who worked with him at the Rajasthan Royals camps held in the 2025 IPL season, says that while there can’t be another Sachin Tendulkar, yet in terms of the talent to hit a ball, Suryavanshi is probably right up there.
“His batting DNA has got an amazing bat swing, that attribute is so high in his game that he is naturally suited to the T20 game. The way he picks up the bat, it comes over the top of his head which is very rare,” says Bharucha, who has polished the game of many top batters including Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The former Mumbai opener added: “When he lifts it up, the toe of the bat crosses his head. If you take a perpendicular line from his feet, all the way to the sky, that bat will cross (the head), which is incredible. That is impossible to do, actually. It’s a rare thing. If you try it, you will feel that the bat will not come down in time.”
For better understanding, one can look at Brian Lara’s backlift. “Lara had a similar backlift. He’s his (Suryavanshi’s) favourite player. He must have followed something, watched Lara’s videos (when he was a kid).”
Sometimes, however, the teenager is not in control of the shots and doesn’t seem to hold his shape well. The backlift is also the reason why a full, straight yorker troubles him the most.
“He is going to be super high-risk because of his backlift and the way he plays. But once he gets in on a flattish wicket, God save the bowlers because he can swing at any length ball.”
In SMAT, his unbeaten 108 off 61 balls against Maharashtra might have been in vain, but the reason experts are talking about Suryavanshi is because of how he can seemingly intimidate the opposition.
“Natural instinct, the bat swing and the manner in which he falls into the ball. These are the things he has to find a way to sustain for the long term,” said Bharucha. “They are his absolute strength.”
