Praise for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to pour in from some of the biggest names in cricket, and the latest endorsement has come from the legendary former West Indies captain. Clive Lloydwho believes that the teenage sensation possesses the necessary qualities for a bright future at the highest level.Lloyd, one of the most respected figures in cricket history and the man who captained the West Indies to World Cup triumphs in 1975 and 1979, was recently asked how the 15-year-old Indian batsman had coped with the fearsome pace attack that dominated world cricket during his era.The 81-year-old led a side with some of the most intimidating fast bowlers in the game, including Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Andy Roberts and Colin Croft. Reflecting on a hypothetical contest between Sooryavanshi and those legendary speedsters, Lloyd felt it would have been a fascinating battle.“Well, he would have had a very good test (laughs), and we would have tested his character, his skills, and so on. He has a good view. He is a good striker of the ball. Yes, so it would be a good test for him and a good test for our bowlers. The point of the bowlers that we had, because it was difficult to decipher what everyone was doing something different. It would have been a great test,” said Lloyd in an interview with RevSportz.While praising the youngster’s talent, Lloyd also offered some important advice regarding his development. The former West Indian great believes Sooryavanshi’s natural approach should be preserved rather than altered as he moves up the ranks.“I think this guy has ability, and I’m sure that if he continues to play the way he plays, and that he doesn’t try to change, you know, his style of play, I think we have a young man that we will look at for a long time,” he added.Lloyd’s comments came shortly after another extraordinary performance from the teenager. Representing India A in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on Sunday, Sooryavanshi produced a breathtaking innings that rewrote the record books.The left-hander smashed the fastest fifty in the history of List A cricket, reaching the milestone in just 11 deliveries. He looked on course for an equally remarkable century and could have scored the fastest hundred in List A cricket, but his innings ended on 94 from just 29 balls. A six off the final delivery he faced would have taken him to the landmark.After his exploits in Sri Lanka, Sooryavanshi will travel to Ireland for the upcoming two-match T20I series in India later this month. With an international debut widely expected during the tour, the teenager’s rapid rise continues to gather momentum, and Lloyd’s vote of confidence only adds to the growing excitement surrounding one of cricket’s most talked-about young talents.
