Laxman Hails Sooryavanshi's "Very Mature" Knock After India's Series Sweep

July 27: India head coach VVS Laxman praised teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the maturity he displayed during his match-winning innings in the third T20I against Zimbabwe, saying the 15-year-old has grown remarkably both as a cricketer and as a person over the last six months.

Sooryavanshi's fluent 81-run innings powered India to a comprehensive 90-run victory in Harare, completing a 3-0 clean sweep of the T20I series. His performances earned him both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.

Laxman impressed by game awareness

Laxman highlighted that Sooryavanshi's innings was about much more than stroke-making, praising the youngster's ability to adapt to difficult conditions."It was a very mature innings. The wicket was slow, the boundaries were large and Zimbabwe had clear plans against him, but he assessed the conditions brilliantly and found ways to score. That shows how much he is learning with every game," Laxman said.

According to the India coach, Sooryavanshi analyses every training session and match in detail, constantly looking for ways to improve his game.

Remarkable growth since IPL breakthrough

Laxman believes the biggest change in Sooryavanshi has come away from the bat.

The teenager enjoyed a sensational IPL campaign earlier this year, finishing as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30, but the former India batter said his mental development has been even more impressive."His maturity, awareness and understanding of the game have grown tremendously over the last six months. That has helped him deal with pressure and perform against quality opposition."

Journey from youth cricket to India

Having closely monitored Sooryavanshi's progress during his time at the National Cricket Academy (now the Centre of Excellence), Laxman said the coaching staff have known the youngster for more than two years.

He first caught their attention during a quadrangular tournament in Vijayawada before becoming one of India's standout performers at the Under-19 level and eventually making his international debut.

Laxman added that understanding Sooryavanshi's personality has been just as important as developing his cricketing skills.

Fitness remains the next area of improvement

While praising the youngster's work ethic, Laxman identified fitness as the next step in his development.

During the third T20I, Sooryavanshi picked up a minor injury while attempting a diving catch but was eager to continue fielding before the team physio advised him to leave the field.

Laxman said the incident reflected the youngster's commitment and desire to contribute to the team.

Confident after England setback

Sooryavanshi's strong series against Zimbabwe followed a difficult start to his international career during India's T20I tour of England, where he struggled against short-pitched bowling and managed scores of 14, 13 and 15.

Laxman, however, said he was never concerned.

He pointed to the teenager's fearless performances in the IPL, where he showed the temperament to handle pressure despite being only 15 years old."I'm not surprised by what he has achieved here. He was disappointed not to score a hundred, but we reminded him that many opportunities lie ahead. He has the mindset to keep improving every day, and if he continues on this path, he has the potential to achieve great things for Indian cricket."

With another successful series behind him, Sooryavanshi continues to strengthen his reputation as one of the brightest young talents in world cricket.

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