England all-rounder Will Jacks shared his thoughts on dismissing India’s teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the first time in international cricket, anticipating that it might one day become an iconic trivia question.
The off-spinner made history last week by dismissing the 15-year-old left-hander on his T20I debut at Old Trafford, becoming the first bowler to do so in international cricket. Jacks had the child stumped after luring him out of the crease, and he admitted that it was a special circumstance because of the enthusiasm surrounding the rising star.
The English all-rounder praised Sooryavanshi for his careless approach and the excitement he generates every time he bats. He also recalled the loud welcome the young player received at Old Trafford.
In a few years, that might be the response to a pub quiz. Yes, he is the man. He is undoubtedly a bums-on-seats youngster after seeing him play in the IPL and playing against him. Jacks stated on Wisden’s The Scoop podcast, “Obviously, his age, but the number of times people have said if he were 25 and he’s doing what he does, he’d be one of the best in the world.”
He’s a lot of fun to play against. I believe you only need to observe the Manchester crowd’s reaction when his name appears on the team sheet. Everyone wants to see him, as if he were their team’s most important player. He’s extremely dangerous,” he went on.
Will Jacks also revealed England’s strategy against the young opener, saying that one of the key objectives was to prevent him from clearing the ropes.
Indeed, it can be as simple as that. I believe he goes for it right from the start, and you just need to be extremely focused. In particular, as a bowler, I tend to be pretty reactive. I rely a lot on what I see because I use my eyes a lot. On certain days, it might not be the case, and my plans are subject to sudden changes. Will Jacks said, “I think that can sometimes be quite difficult for the batters to face.”
Interestingly, Jacks is still the only spinner to dismiss Sooryavanshi in the current Twenty20 International series. In the ensuing games at Nottingham and Bristol, Jofra Archer’s short-pitched bowling crushed the youthful hitter, casting doubt on his ability to manage rising deliveries.
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