interim head coach of india VVS Laxman said 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s understanding of the game has improved significantly over the past six months, adding that the teenager’s maturity has helped him cope with the pressure at the international level.Sooryavanshi completed India’s tour of Zimbabwe with a 35-run win in the third and final T20I on Sunday, winning the Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards as the team swept 3-0.“What’s really impressive is the way he’s developed as a person. The maturity, understanding and awareness have actually skyrocketed in the last six months. That’s why he’s been able to handle difficult situations,” Laxman said at the post-match press conference.The left-hander scored 151 runs in three innings at an average of 50.33, including 81 in the final, setting the stage for India’s victory.His performance came in the first series against England where he scored scores of 13, 14 and 15, but was dropped in the fifth and final T20I as India lost the series 0-4.“He played in the Under-19 World Cup and dominated the IPL for four to five months. We know how competitive the IPL is.“The way he has developed, the way he has progressed as an international cricketer and he has shown the potential, the level and the talent that he has, he has gone up against the best bowlers not just from India but from around the world,” said Laxman, who is serving as interim head coach.Laxman also highlighted Sooryavanshi’s desire to improve, recalling the youngster’s desire to stay in the field despite suffering an injury in the T20I final.“We also have to remember that he is only 15 years old. He is a very young boy. He himself wants to get better in every aspect of the game. If you saw, even in today’s game, he occupied the hot spot.“Even though he was injured, he still wanted to play. But it was actually our team doctors who asked him to play. So, that’s what he has to be eager and serious about and contribute to the team in every possible way,” Laxman said.When asked if he expected Sooryavanshi to bounce back so strongly after a tough start in England, Laxman said he was not surprised as the youngster had already proven during the IPL that he could handle pressure.“It (the performance) was as expected. Last year, when he played for Rajasthan Royals for the first time, I thought the way he handled the pressure because I believe any IPL game is equivalent to an international game.“At the age of 14 or 15, when you play in the IPL, you either get overwhelmed by the big occasions or you absorb and embrace the pressure. I think he chose the second option, he accepted the pressure. So, I’m not surprised at all with how this series went,” Laxman said.
