It is no surprise that sensational Indian teen Vaibhav Suryavanshi who has set several junior batting records in seniors, will rank as the biggest scalp at the U19 World Cup. But before lightening struck India’s opening tie against USA at the colts mega event, it was USA’s Ritvik Appidi who crashed the stumps of Suryavanshi and packed off the opener to the dugout for a mere 2 runs.
Born in 2008,, who traces his roots to Telangana, had told the ICC channel ahead of the opening match that he is a massive Virat Kohli fan. After snaring the highly rated Indian, the American all-rounder gave Vaibhav a mighty audible send-off too.
Ahead of the tournament, Ritvik had said, “The wicket I’d like to get is Vaibhav Suryavanshi because he’s a real prodigy with all these records. So it would be really great to get him out first game.”
The very tall all-rounder predominantly known for his batting, had started cricket at age 10, and was amongst the highest ranked juniors in the American Nationals. However, he has has made the American team as a bowler, clocking slightly faster than medium pace.
He trained at the Core Cricket Academy in North Carolina, where the coaches listed include Jamie Siddons and former West Indies assistant coach Esuan Crandon. Making USA’s South zone U15s, he got into the Top 10 ranks at U19 Nationals. Having played Major League Cricket, according to cary.athleticrepublic.com, a fitness centre, he shone in a game against MI New York, where he claimed wickets of the Anerican senior team captain and Dewald Brevis during a five-wicket haul. He is known to work with a club golf hitting trainer, James McKiernan.
He had posted a still of two stumps at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo ahead of the match, and sent Suryavanshi’s middle stump cartwheeling after the audacious Indian opener stepped out to him impetuously, was cramped for length and got cleaned up.
His action (especially the non-bowling arm) at the crease slightly resembles Jasprit Bumrah’s, though he has a wiry taller frame, and commensurate pace.
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Ahead of the World Cup, in a promo put out by USA Cricket, the American pacers Adit Kappa and Sahir Bhatia had spoken about wanting to pick the wicket of Suryavanshi, clearly a star already. Bhatia had said, “I’m excited to bowl to Vaibhav. He’s one of the best players at the tournament,” Kappa said. It was the tallest member, Ritvik who bagged the early wickets though, including of the batsman who looms large on the junior world cup.
