Former Indian wicketkeeper batsman Parthiv Patel feels young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should be ready to play the short game as his international career progresses. The youngster, who has impressed in IPL 2026, struggled to do the same against England, scoring 14 and 13 in the last two T20Is. England’s bowlers have been looking at him with fewer games, a trend that Patel believes will continue. According to Patel, England’s performance is not surprising as teams have already mastered this strategy in the game IPL. Speaking to JioHotstar, he said, “Not just Jofra ArcherI think anyone who has watched the IPL will not be surprised that there is a deliberate plan to downplay Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. It wasn’t just wicket ball; before the ball is too late. In the first game, in a six-hit game, it may not have gone as far, but the line was the same. “Patel believes that every team will continue to test the youngster quickly and efficiently.“As Vaibhav Sooryavanshi progresses in his international career, he will continue to face this type of bowling, with deliveries that are short and above 145 km/h. So, the question will really be how he will deal with the short bowling, because every bowler will look to hit him there,” he added.Patel also urged the Indian batsmen to show more patience after being dismissed for 78 in the third T20I. He said the players should settle down instead of attacking from the start, especially in English where the stadiums are different.“I want to see a better understanding of the game and knowledge of the game from the Indian batsmen in Bristol. Yes, there are 200 runs on the board, but they are all experienced T20 batsmen and, in this format, you have more time than you think,” he said.“You can manage to take one or two to get your eye in. The conditions are different, the wickets are not flat, and you have to get used to the dimensions of the floor and the speed of the wicket. So, it is very important to give yourself time,” added Patel.India will now look to recover in the fourth T20I, while England will look to finish the series with another win.
