When Vaibhav Sooryavanshi belted 171 off just 95 balls against the UAE at last year’s Under-19 Asia Cup, bowlers ran for cover. All but one. As six bowlers felt Sooryavanshi’s wrath, 18-year-old Uddish Suri managed to weather the assault. In fact, Suri could have had Sooryavanshi out off the second ball if not for a dropped catch. But while India smashed their way to 433/6 in 50 overs, Suri’s left-arm wrist-spin figures read 2/77 from 10 overs. One of those wickets was Sooryavanshi’s.
Suri bowled 23 balls to Sooryavanshi and conceded just 23 runs. One four and one six, the rest were all singles. Suri did what even the best bowlers have struggled to do: contain that version of Sooryavanshi.
Almost a year on, Sooryavanshi is an India cricketer. More importantly, at just 15, an inspiration for aspiring talents like Suri.
“It’s great for him. At 15, he is representing India. Some people have to wait 30 years to achieve that, but he has done it in half that time. I am very happy for him. He is an inspiration to many young players, especially those in our U-19 batch and the age group below us. He has shown that there is no age limit to playing at a certain level,” Suri told HT ahead of the U-19 Asia Cup starting on Thursday.
“When I bowled to him, I had a specific plan. I stuck to it and it worked out well. I spoke to my coaches, and they all gave me a specific plan. They believed I could get Sooryavanshi's wicket and I am glad I proved them right.”
If Suri’s preparations helped him tackle Sooryavanshi last year, the spinner now has his sights set on two other youngsters who are attracting almost as much attention: Anvay Dravid and Aaryavir Sehwag, who are following in the footsteps of their fathers Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag.
Plans set for Sehwag Jr, Dravid Jr
Both youngsters were recently part of the India U-19 vs Australia U-19 series and lit up the Vinoo Mankad Trophy last month with quickfire centuries. Although the level of competition at the Asia Cup promises to be considerably stiffer, Suri has his plans ready for Anvay and Aaryavir.
“I have watched a few videos of them playing in the India vs Australia series and seen the scorecards. I have also watched Aaryavir play in the DPL recently. I am looking forward to playing against India as well, and against Aaryavir and Anway. These kids are some big names, but at the end of the day, we are in the same category, in the same age group,” Suri added, during the chat organised by the Sony Sports Network.
“I mean, we are at the same level, so it's not just about the names. In terms of skill, we could be equally good, if not better. I will try to get their wickets as well this year.”
Easier said than done, though. Suri has gone an entire year without playing competitive cricket. His last professional match was on December 16, 2025.
That's one of the limitations with playing for an Associate Nation. Unless it's an Asia Cup, a qualifier, a World Cup qualifier or the World Cup itself, opportunities to play competitive cricket are few and far between.
“But we have been training for the U-19 Asia Cup for the past three or four months, so as a unit we are preparing well. Apart from that, I have been part of the men's camp for about a year, so playing with the older boys has given me a lot of confidence heading into this tournament," Suri said.
“The mindset when I play with them is much higher compared to that at the Under-19 level. So I think I can adapt to that mindset and prove why I can be one of the best players in the tournament as well. Besides, my training has been very consistent. I have trained almost every day, worked on my skills and developed some new variations that I can put into use during the Asia Cup and show everyone.”
Why left-arm wrist spin?
Even in 2026, a left-arm wrist spinner remains rare. Kuldeep Yadav, Tabraiz Shamsi and Noor Ahmed are among the few recognisable names. But the story behind Suri taking up the art too is unusual. He isn’t the only cricketer in his family, which is why a dilemma during childhood led him to take up left-arm wrist spin.
“My first coach wanted me to become a wicketkeeper, but since my brother Tanish (he is part of the UAE’s senior team) was already one, my parents said they didn’t want any competition between their children in the future. They suggested making one of us an allrounder,” Suri said.
“That's when I switched to bowling, and my coach turned me into a spinner. A chinaman bowler who is also a right-handed batter is a very rare combination.”