New Delhi: Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker Ahead of the upcoming T20I series, expectations are building on India’s 15-year-old batting star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in awe, calling his rise “pretty incredible” in the modern professional era.“For them to have a 15-year-old kid on the team is incredible,” Tucker said during Thursday’s pregame press conference.“I never thought it was possible in this era of professional cricket, especially given the workload and the caliber of players. So, credit to him – he’s a very special player,” he said.Tucker also highlighted the wider excitement generated by the youngster’s emergence, particularly among Ireland’s large Indian community.“We have a huge Indian community in Ireland and I know they will be well prepared to watch this game and they will see Vaibhav. That is most of the hype here, about him making his debut in this series,” he added.Talking about Sooryavanshi’s meteoric rise, Tucker added: “He’s obviously an absolutely incredible talent. We’ve tried to study him as much as we can. I think he shone in the IPL, hit an unbelievable 75 sixes or whatever, like the skill level there is absolutely unbelievable.”He further highlighted the wider impact the teenager’s emergence would have on the sport.“It gives the game something to talk about. It’s really exciting. Having that kind of energy coming into the series is wonderful not only for us, but for the people who come to watch, the people who watch at home and the kids who are playing on the street corners,” he said.Tucker also acknowledged Sooryavanshi’s role as a rising global figure in the sport.“As much as we strive to be role models for Irish players, I think all players around the world have a responsibility to be role models. So I know Vaibhav is just a little boy, but he is still an incredible player and a very special role model for cricketers around the world now and for kids in the future,” he further added.
Ireland prepares for India’s ‘baptism of fire’
Talking about the series itself, Tucker admitted that his team faces a tough challenge against the defending T20 World Cup champions, especially with the injuries sustained in the bowling attack.“I think it’s a bit like a baptism of fire, first of all it’s a difficult challenge,” he said. “But I think and believe at the end of the day it’s a game of cricket… As incredible as the Indian players are, there’s a lot of pressure on them.”Ireland were forced to make changes, with Reuben Wilson, Matthew Hollard and Jay Mudra replacing injured pacers Mark Adair, Josh Little and Barry McCarthy. Despite Mudra’s inexperience, Tucker backed him to make an impact.“He showed real skill with the new ball… He has all the skills,” he said.Looking ahead, Tucker stressed that early breakthroughs will be crucial if Ireland are to challenge India’s aggressive batting force.“We know they’re a strong squad… they’re going to attack with all their strength. The pitch might be a little slower than they’re used to. So hopefully that will make a difference for us,” he said.
