Former West Indies captain Sir Clive Lloyd has criticized Vaibhav Suryavanshi after his altercation with Sri Lanka A player Vishen Halambage during the 2026 Tri-Nation A series. Lloyd said the young Indian opener should have reported the alleged verbal abuse to the match referee instead of confronting him on the field.
This incident happened after Sri Lanka A defeated India A In a dramatic super over. After the match, Halambaj allegedly provoked Vaibhav, which led to a heated argument and scuffle between the two players. Sri Lankan players and umpires intervened to calm the situation on the field.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s test will be very good – Sir Clive Lloyd
Speaking to RevSportz, Sir Clive Lloyd shared his thoughts on how Vaibhav Suryavanshi would have fared against the legendary West Indies pace attack. He said the teenager has excellent ball-striking ability and sharp vision, adding that he has the talent to succeed at the highest level.
“Well, he will be a very good test. It will be a test of his character, his skills etc. He has good vision. He is a good striker of the ball. So, it will be a good test for our bowlers as well,” Lloyd told RevSportz.
“The reason why it was difficult to understand what the bowlers were doing was because they all did something different so it will be a great test, no doubt about that. But I think this guy has got potential and I’m sure if he continues to play the way he has been playing, and they don’t try to change his style of play, then I think we have a young player that we will be looking at for a long time.”
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“He’s very exciting, and I’m sure we’ll get many more years to see him.” – Clive Lloyd on Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
The full interview will air at 12 noon.@AgeasFederal @BoriaMajumdar #VaibhanSooryavanshi #CliveLloyd pic.twitter.com/BVgh316esU
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) June 20, 2026
Should have reported – Sir Clive Lloyd on Vaibhav Suryavanshi-Vishen Halambaj controversy
Clive Lloyd said that the match officials should have come forward and handled the collision between Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Vishen Halambaj. He said that players should report such incidents instead of taking matters into their own hands.
“Well, that’s why we have referees. The referee should come and get involved. And once he has seen something like that, he will tell the umpires, the referee and they should impose a penalty on whoever is sneaking up on people.”
“So, I think the referee would have been at fault given the rules we have. We have a green book of rules where you’re not supposed to sledge people. So, this young man should have reported him instead of colliding with an opposing player.”
How has Vaibhav Suryavanshi performed in the Tri-Nation A Series
Vaibhav Suryavanshi has impressed with the bat in the Tri Nation A series. The India A opener has scored 117 runs in four matches at an average of 29.25 and a strike rate of 153.94. His scores of 14, 44, 21 and 38 show that he has provided fast starts regularly, although he is yet to score a half-century.
The 14-year-old has continued to play his aggressive game against a quality bowling attack. His 44 off 22 balls against Afghanistan A showcased his clean hitting, while his 38 off 28 gave India A the early momentum. A strike rate above 150 shows that he has kept the bowlers under pressure.
However, Vaibhav is still learning the demands of 50-over cricket. He has not yet converted his starts into big scores or batted deep in the innings. That is not a failure. India A Cricket aims to help young players develop these skills before progressing to the senior level.
