Ravichandran Ashwin lauds Vaibhav Suryavanshi after explosive knock in India-A vs Afghanistan-A Tri-Series clash

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India-A continued their campaign in the Tri-Nation A Series in Sri Lanka with a clash against Afghanistan-A in the second match of the tournament. After securing a convincing victory in the opening encounter against Sri Lanka-A, the young Indian side looked determined to build on that momentum and make a strong statement. Several promising talents were under the spotlight, but once again it was teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi who grabbed headlines with his fearless batting at the top of the order.

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) prodigy had managed only 14 runs off 12 deliveries in the opening game against Sri Lanka-A. However, he quickly bounced back against Afghanistan-A, displaying a more mature and controlled approach while maintaining the aggressive intent that has made him one of the most exciting young batters in world cricket.

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was among the many cricket personalities left impressed by Suryavanshi’s attacking display. The youngster raced to 44 runs from just 22 deliveries, hammering 9 fours and putting the Afghanistan-A bowlers under immense pressure during the powerplay. While the left-hander eventually fell short of a half-century, Ashwin highlighted that the innings was not solely built on power-hitting. Instead, he praised the youngster’s shot selection and timing, particularly through the off-side.

“Out! But 44(21) absolutely entertaining innings, punctuated with some well timed cover drives. We have seen his power, but today was anything but brute force. He is some player this kid,” Ashwin wrote on X.

Suryavanshi’s innings came to an end when Afghanistan pacer Abdullah Ahmadzai induced an outside edge with a short delivery. Attempting to guide the ball over the wicketkeeper, the youngster only managed a faint nick through to Ishaq Rahimi behind the stumps. Despite the disappointment of missing out on a fifty, his aggressive start had already provided India A with the perfect platform.

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The foundation laid by Suryavanshi was further strengthened by Prabhsimran Singh, who produced a brilliant innings at the top of the order. The wicketkeeper-batter played with remarkable composure and aggression, smashing 84 runs from 69 deliveries while keeping the scoreboard moving at a healthy rate.

Afghanistan-A captain won the toss and opted to field first, hoping to exploit the early conditions. However, India’s batters quickly seized control of proceedings. Suryavanshi’s rapid-fire knock ensured the momentum remained firmly with the Men in Blue before Prabhsimran took charge.

At the time of writing, India-A had reached 174/3 in 24.3 overs, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma occupying the crease. Prabhsimran was the most recent batter to depart after his fluent knock, but India remained well positioned to post a formidable total. With several established domestic performers and emerging stars in the lineup, India-A will be aiming to convert the strong start into a commanding score and register their first victory of the Tri-Nation A Series.

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