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Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already changed the way teams approach T20 batting, but feels the 15-year-old still has one aspect of his game to refine before establishing himself across all formats. Speaking on Ajinkya Rahane‘s YouTube channel ahead of India’s five-match T20I series against England starting on July 1 in Durham, Vaughan suggested England should look to exploit the physical demands of fielding by asking India to bowl first whenever they win the toss. According to him, Sooryavanshi’s biggest challenge at the international level will be spending a full innings on the field before opening the batting. “The one thing he’s going to have to cope with is his fielding. There’s no impact sub where he can sit on the bench. If I were England, I’d ask India to field first because then by the time Sooryavanshi comes to bat, he might be tired,” Michael Vaughan said on Ajinkya Rahane’s YouTube channel. Vaughan’s observation comes after the Rajasthan Royals frequently used Sooryavanshi as an Impact Player during IPL 2026, limiting his time on the field. The move reportedly surprised the youngster himself, with one of the franchise’s coaches revealing that Sooryavanshi takes great pride in his fielding abilities. Despite Vaughan’s concerns, Sooryavanshi has shown his willingness to spend long hours in the field. During the U19 World Cup and the recent Tri-Nation A series, the youngster fielded extensively, although India A batted first in each of those matches. Apart from highlighting the fielding aspect, Vaughan was full of admiration for the left-handed batter’s fearless approach, claiming Sooryavanshi has redefined expectations in T20 cricket. “There’s only one name that is being talked about here, and that is the 15-year-old kid. I think T20 cricket, particularly through Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, has taken the game to 230 being a par score. I think that is the norm now; teams are looking to get 230-plus. Opening batters are going harder than ever. It is almost as if a 15-year-old has sent a message to the rest of the world that T20 cricket can go to another level,” the former England captain said. Sooryavanshi did not feature in India’s opening T20I against Ireland on Friday, with Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson preferred at the top of the order. The teenager is still awaiting his international debut and could become India’s youngest-ever T20I debutant if the team management decides to rotate the squad during the England series. The 15-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable 2026, headlined by a match-winning 175 in the U19 World Cup final before amassing 776 runs for the Rajasthan Royals during a breakthrough IPL campaign.
