Vaibhav Sooryavanshi faced a challenging net session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday, September 11, as returning India pacer Jasprit Bumrah tested the teenager ahead of the first T20I against Afghanistan in New Delhi. According to a PTI report, Sooryavanshi struggled against the pacers during the session and found Bumrah particularly difficult to handle. The 15-year-old left-hander reportedly missed the first two deliveries as Bumrah’s pace beat his bat. He then managed to dig out a yorker on the third ball, before edging the fourth delivery.
Sooryavanshi eventually received a fuller delivery within his hitting range and drove it confidently down the ground. However, the youngster was also reported to have found catching practice difficult during the session.
The net session was particularly important for Sooryavanshi because he has only just returned from the Duleep Trophy final, where he played red-ball cricket for East Zone. With the Afghanistan T20I series beginning soon, the teenager has had very little time to transition back into the faster-paced demands of T20 cricket.
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That limited preparation could put his place in the playing XI under scrutiny. India could consider bringing back Sanju Samson to partner Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order, with Sooryavanshi potentially having to wait for another opportunity.
Earlier on Friday, former India batter Ajinkya Rahane also backed the Samson-Abhishek combination and suggested that Sooryavanshi should be given time to develop. However, Rahane stressed that the youngster should not make major changes to his natural game.
🚨 Bumrah vs Vaibhav suryavanshi 🚨
-Four balls
-Bumrah beat Vaibhav’s bat twice
-Nailed a yorker…
-Then forced an edgeWelcome to international-level bowling, Vaibhav pic.twitter.com/w5cqqE1VFQ
— VEER SA (@veersaa007) September 12, 2026
🚨 JASPRIT BUMRAH PUTS VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI TO THE TEST 🔥🇮🇳
― jasprit bumrah gave young batting sensation vaibhav sooryavanshi a rigorous test in the nets ahead of india’s t20i series against afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/m493LciPdY
— Puneet Awasthi (@PuneetA77622712) September 12, 2026
“I feel right now he should play his own game. The game that got him into the England team — he should back that same game. It’s very early for him to make changes in his early career in international cricket.”
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Ajinkya Rahane further advised Sooryavanshi to remain patient and balanced as he adapts to international cricket. “For now, the game that helped him get here — I think he should play that same game. It will be important for him to keep himself balanced. Along with cricket skills, off the field, as a player, maintaining balance is very important.”
With India’s first Afghanistan T20I approaching, Sooryavanshi’s selection and ability to adapt quickly from red-ball to T20 cricket will be among the key talking points.
