India's Throwdown Specialist Raghu Slammed for 'Failing to Check' on 15-Year-Old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi After Brutal Net Blow

Indian cricket's highly-regarded throwdown specialist Raghavendra Dwivedi aka Raghu finds himself at the centre of a growing controversy following a concerning incident during India's net session. Batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, just 15 years old, was struck a brutal blow to the chest and Raghu is being criticised for his immediate response to the young batter's injury. Injury Scare for 15-Year-Old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi After Being Hit on Chest in Nets (Watch Video).

The incident, captured in visuals that have since surfaced, showed Sooryavanshi missing a delivery during practice and taking a painful hit above his ribs. He immediately slumped to the ground in visible discomfort. As the video went viral, fans were not happy with Raghu's reaction. Instead of attending to Sooryavanshi immediately, Raghu's initial action was to retrieve the ball, thus sparking discussions .

The Incident Unfolds

The Indian squad was undergoing intense preparations in Nottingham for the crucial third Twenty20 International against England, scheduled for July 7, 2026. India is currently trailing the five-match series 0-1. It was during these high-intensity net sessions that the unfortunate event occurred. Sooryavanshi, known for his prodigious talent, was facing throwdowns when he misjudged a delivery, leading to the painful impact. He sat down on the ground in pain, before bravely getting back to his feet. Raghu after collecting the ball eventually went to check on the youngster.

'Raghu's First Reaction was to Pick Ball'

Raghuvendra Dwivedi Throwdown Specialist Of Indian Cricket Team Bowled 150kmph Delivery That Hit Suryavanshi Badly On His Ribs. He Fell On The Ground And Raghuvendra’s First Reaction Was To Pick Up The Ball Instead Of Checking On Him. Bro, He Is Just 15 Years Old. At Least Show… pic.twitter.com/H0hrnvXthh

— ÉlyséeCricket (@CricketElysee) July 6, 2026

Fan Clearly Not Happy With Raghu

That guy collecting the ball before looking after him such an evil perosn oh my god.... So many evil eyes on him now, he is throwing with all power like to kill him, just check his action once .....not needed that killing intent clearly visible....who is this evil perosn.

— Pandit Rama (@rk_sharma108) July 6, 2026

Fan Highlights Raghu's Reaction

Wo ball lene gaya pahle 😅😭😭

— PANKAJ 💙 (@pankaj_pp17) July 6, 2026

Another Fan  Reacts

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi got hit in the ribs, got down in pain and 2-3 people around just keep watching him without offering any immediate help.

It seems like almost everyone in the team is jealous of him and probably even hates him. Terrible atmosphere. https://t.co/r5e4atqA0N

— HB (@hbfetr) July 6, 2026

Born on March 27, 2011, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is currently 15 years, 3 months, and 10 days old. He has rapidly emerged as one of India's most exciting cricketing prospects, having already made history as the youngest Indian to make an international debut on July 4, 2026, at 15 years and 99 days.

Raghu's Pivotal Role and Past Praise

Raghu, whose full name is D. Raghavendra Dwivedi, has been an indispensable part of the Indian cricket team's support staff since 2011, having initially been recommended by cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar. He is renowned for his ability to hurl balls at speeds exceeding 150 kmph with a sidearm, providing invaluable practice for Indian batsmen to counter express pace. His contributions have been widely lauded by senior players like Virat Kohli, who credited Raghu for the team's improvement against fast bowling. Ironically, recent visuals also showed Sooryavanshi respectfully touching Raghu's feet upon receiving his Team India jersey just last month, highlighting the significant role Raghu plays in the development of young cricketers.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 07, 2026 12:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).