Harbhajan backs an aggressive plan against teenage sensation

India spin great Harbhajan Singh believes bowlers should resist the temptation to contain Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and instead attack the 15-year-old’s wicket. The former India spinner said the teenager’s extraordinary strokeplay demands an aggressive response, even if that approach occasionally results in boundaries.

“The only way to survive is to attack him. You go at him and you take his wicket,” Harbhajan told PTI. “It may not work all the time. Sometimes you might even get smashed. He would've hit sixes. But that is part of the game. You have to accept that he's good.”

A remarkable rise at 15

Sooryavanshi has rapidly become one of cricket’s most exciting young batters. He made history by debuting for Rajasthan Royals at 14 in the 2025 Indian Premier League, becoming the youngest player to appear in the competition. He then struck a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans, becoming the youngest batter to score a men’s T20 hundred.

His progress continued this year when he became India’s youngest international debutant at 15 years and 99 days. Harbhajan said he had never seen a player dominate at such a young age.

“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is extraordinary. He is a unique player. I have not seen a player like him before, one who can dominate the world at 14-15 years of age,” Harbhajan said.

‘The next ball should be about how to get him out’

The teenager’s fearlessness was evident when he hit the first deliveries from premier pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins for sixes. For Harbhajan, the fact that elite bowlers are forced to consider their plans against a teenager underlines Sooryavanshi’s unusual impact.

Harbhajan said he would not allow the batter’s attacking style to dictate his powerplay field settings. “I won't set the field according to what he's doing. I'll set the field according to what I'm doing. If I bowl to escape, I won't be able to get him out,” he said.

He added that the challenge is also psychological: even after a batter has struck boundaries, bowlers must keep focusing on a dismissal rather than retreating into defensive tactics. “But still, the next ball should be about how to get him out,” Harbhajan said.

That philosophy accepts the risk attached to attacking Sooryavanshi. Bowlers may be hit for sixes, but Harbhajan believes conceding runs is part of the price for creating a genuine chance to remove a batter who refuses to be contained.