New Delhi: India batter Devdutt Padikkal has cautioned young cricketers against attempting to mimic Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's audacious batting approach, describing the teenage sensation from Bihar as possessing abilities that cannot be artificially replicated.
"He's a rare talent," Padikkal remarked while discussing the 13-year-old prodigy. "Trying to copy what he does would be foolish because his game comes from natural ability and instinct."
Sooryavanshi recently etched his name into cricket's record books with a blistering 93 off just 38 deliveries, becoming the youngest cricketer ever to accumulate 500-plus runs in a single T20 season. The knock saw him surpass a benchmark previously held by Padikkal himself, who achieved the feat at an older age during his own breakthrough campaign.
Both left-handed batters have carved out reputations as match-winners for their respective franchises, though their pathways have differed significantly. While Padikkal progressed through age-group cricket before making his mark, Bihar's Sooryavanshi has accelerated through the ranks with unprecedented speed.
The teenager's explosive strokeplay and fearless temperament have drawn comparisons to some of modern cricket's biggest names, though Padikkal's words suggest the youngster possesses a style uniquely his own.