In about two weeks, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will join the Indian cricket team for the Ireland T20 tour. The 15-year-old is the youngest to be picked for the Indian men’s senior team.
The wonderkid has been primed to achieve greatness. But after what transpired in Dambulla on Monday, Sooryavanshi would not want to look back and remember this day. He was involved in a heated argument that almost led to a physical confrontation with a Sri Lanka A player after an ill-tempered end to the tri-series contest, which India A lost following a Super Over.
Needing 17 to win in the Super Over, India managed only nine runs against slinger Kaguthas Mathulan to lose their second game in a row. Sooryavanshi, who faced the last three deliveries from Mathulan, managed only six runs, including a boundary.
Once the match got over, the Lankan team was involved in a bit of over-the-top celebrations as Sooryavanshi and his partner Suryansh Shedge were seen walking back towards the pavilion. One video clearly shows that a particular player went out of Sri Lanka’s huddle and said something in Sooryavanshi and Shedge’s direction.
Then, TV cameras caught Sooryavanshi angrily charging towards the tall fast bowler Mathulan, and one of his teammates, Vishen Halambage, came in between. The trigger, in all likelihood, was something that the bowler said, having stopped the 15-year-old successfully for three deliveries.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge were walking off after India lost the match.
One particular Sri Lanka A player (jersey no. 76) said something as Suryansh Shedge turned back.
Sooryavanshi was seen pushing the fielder, who in turn also tried to charge towards him. It was senior Sri Lankan international Niroshan Dickwella who came in between to stop the matter from going out of hand.
The next moment Sooryavanshi was seen pushing the particular player.
As Sooryavanshi trudged back towards the pavilion, he looked visibly angry after India failed to chase the target under fading light.
Initially, it seemed that there was no provision for a Super Over, as India A skipper Tilak Varma had a long and heated argument with the on-field umpires, who relented after 10 minutes.
Even during that conversation between the umpires and Tilak, Sooryavanshi was seen entering the discussion, but head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar pulled him back on that occasion.
It will be interesting to see whether match referee Pradeep Jeyapragash will announce any official sanction or just let the players go with a warning.