Is Jofra Archer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's kryptonite?
The England fast-bowler may have just found the 15-year-olds Achillies heel
Dubai: After scoring 27 runs across his first two T20Is for India, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's innings ended early in the fourth T20I when he was caught by Sam Curran at mid-on off a Jofra Archer delivery in the third over.
For the second game in a row, Archer had the upper hand over Sooryavanshi, sending the young batter back after a quick 15 from 10 deliveries in Bristol.
Having taken the IPL by storm, Sooryavanshi carried that fearless approach into international cricket, smashing Archer for six off the first ball of his T20I career.
Yet after three matches in the series, the battle has tilted in Archer's favour, with the fast bowler removing the youngster twice while conceding only 18 runs from 13 balls.
After Archer dismissed Sooryavanshi during India's 125-run win at Trent Bridge, the England pacer was asked about their growing rivalry in the post-match press conference.
“I think it’s even now. But we’ve got another two games left and it could go either way, so may the best man win,” said the fast-bowler.
Sooryavanshi’s struggles with short ball
The teenagers battle with the short ball is already becoming a defining storyline of his young international career.
Archer has shown that hard lengths and extra bounce can unsettle the Indian batter, providing a blueprint other teams are certain to follow.
The hallmark of great batters is their ability to adapt once bowlers find a weakness, and that is the challenge now facing Sooryavanshi.
His talent is unquestioned, but to succeed at the highest level, he must show he can conquer the short-ball test as convincingly as he dominates on batting-friendly pitches.
