India bowling coach Morne Morkel believes teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will benefit immensely from spending more time in the national team setup.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel advised teen batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to spend more time with the team and its quality players, believing it would be invaluable for his growth as a cricketer.
Vaibhav was part of India’s gold medal-winning team in men’s cricket at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, becoming the youngest Indian athlete to win an Asiad gold. He took part in the Men in Blue’s entire campaign at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin but failed to make a big impact.
‘The more time he trains will be great for his cricket‘
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on the eve of the IND vs WI 1st T20, Morkel said Vaibhav’s immense talent would benefit greatly from spending more time in the Indian team environment, even if he is not part of the playing XI.
“We all know the talent of Vaibhav. The more time he spends in this environment with the quality players, the more time he trains at this standard, will only be great for his cricket.
“And if he’s not getting that game time, he’s still on a bus, in the dugout, in the hotel with guys with a lot of experience. With him sharing that sort of dressing room and talking to guys, or just actually watching how the guys go through their processes and how they set up innings, will be key for him,” Morkel said.
More from FirstcricketMorkel tight-lipped on India’s playing XI
With Team India all set to face the West Indies, fans are intrigued about whether Vaibhav will get a go or whether Sanju Samson will retain his spot. Coach Morkel, however, did not divulge any details regarding the opening duo or the playing XI.
“I mean that’s the combination (Abhishek and Sooryavanshi at the top) they felt for them at the Asian Games. We’ll work out tonight what is the best combination for us going into this series. Will they adapt, will they float, will they make any changes? I quite honestly can’t give that answer now,” Morkel added.
The five-match T20 international series between India and the West Indies will kick off on Tuesday, October 6, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.