Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s difficult run in the India A one-day tri-series continued on Wednesday, June 17, as the teenage opener once again failed to convert a promising start into a substantial innings against Afghanistan A in Dambulla. Playing a must-win match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Sooryavanshi looked composed for much of his stay and even had a slice of luck on his side. However, India A needed a defining knock from their highly rated youngster, and that never quite arrived.
After making a lively 38 off 28 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes, he was dismissed by Afghanistan pacer Faridoon Dawoodzai. The wicket came from a sharp short ball that hurried onto the batter. Sooryavanshi attempted a hook shot but only managed a top edge, which Khalid Taniwal completed safely at point.
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Dawoodzai responded with a finger-on-lips celebration, prompting a visibly frustrated reaction from the India A opener as he walked back to the dressing room. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s innings had already survived multiple escapes before the eventual dismissal. He was dropped on 1, got another reprieve on 8, and was handed two more lifelines on 25 and 37.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dismissed for 38 in 27 balls. pic.twitter.com/AtZ7fz5JBk
— Kashif (@KashifNdmCric) June 17, 2026
Vaibhav Suryavanshi once again got off to a good start but failed to convert it into a big Score .
Don’t become an intent merchant, score big. pic.twitter.com/X4SVGRMarJ— Cric_shit (@Im_dikshit) June 17, 2026
For a while, it appeared Afghanistan A were making every effort to keep him in the game, but the left-hander eventually threw his wicket away at a critical stage in India A’s do-or-die contest.
The dismissal added to a frustrating tri-series campaign for the 15-year-old, whose scores now read 14, 44, 21 and 38. He has shown intent and clean hitting throughout the tournament, but the lack of a big, match-defining innings has become the main talking point. That has also led to criticism from some fans, who have questioned whether he is still adjusting to the demands of 50-over cricket after his explosive IPL 2026 season.
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Others, however, have pointed to the pressure surrounding the young batter, especially after the controversy that followed the previous match against Sri Lanka A. For now, Sooryavanshi remains one of the most watched young names in Indian cricket, but the next step in his development will be turning starts into scores that decide matches.
