The rains that had disrupted the Asian Games cricket schedule have finally relented in Japan, and on Saturday, India and Pakistan will face off for the gold medal at Korogi Sports Park.India have a clutch of big names, but one man’s exploits on the big day have stood out. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may only be 15 years old, yet he has shown an appetite for scoring big on the big occasion.The first glimpse came in the Under-19 World Cup final, where his 175 off 80 balls pulverised England and helped India win by 100 runs.Also Read | What Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 40 says about his mindset, skillsA few months later, he showed he could do it against the big boys. He smashed 97 off 26 balls for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, followed by 96 off 47 balls under pressure in Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans. He emerged as the Orange Cap winner.Then came the India A tri-series final against Sri Lanka A, where he smashed 94 off 29 balls. The pattern was hard to miss: the bigger the occasion, the greater his appetite to rise to it and make it count.Now, the biggest test of his mettle awaits. An India-Pakistan final, with gold medal at stake at the Asiad, offers Sooryavanshi a chance to thrive again on the big stage.Pakistan, however, could present a different test. The left-hander has been dismissed three times by off-spin in his international career. The sample size is small, but it gives Pakistan a sniff.Story continues below this adAlso Read | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi leads India to clean sweep in ZimbabweThis squad does not have a frontline off-spinner, but it has options. Saim Ayub’s off-spin helped them reach the final. In the semi-final against Bangladesh, he took 1/3 in two overs. Abrar Ahmed is another off-spin option, while Arafat Minhas and Sufyan Moqim offer different left-arm threats. Minhas claimed 2/23 against Bangladesh, while Moqim took 3/26.That variety could be useful. Pakistan can test Sooryavanshi with different angles and trajectories in the powerplay.Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar, speaking in an interaction arranged by Sony Sports Network, said Sooryavanshi should not change his approach.“He shouldn’t change his approach. Who’s going to ask him to change his approach? And I think he’s got a pretty decent ball sense. He’s not your flat-pitch slogger. I think temperamentally, he’s pretty okay for the big stage,” he said.Story continues below this adAgainst Sri Lanka, on a turning pitch, Sooryavanshi hit off-spinner Tharindu Ratnayake for four, six and four before falling to Sahan Arachchige for 38.Also Read | Sooryavanshi 2.0: In only 6th game, Vaibhav shows unexplored facet of his battingWhile rain has impacted matches in Japan, when there has been play, the surfaces have had big cracks and have ragged square, thereby posing a challenge to batsmen.Manjrekar also pointed to the way opponents have tried to use spin against him, recalling his dismissal in the semi-final against Sri Lanka.“What opposition tends to do against him is bring spin along very quickly. And in the last game, I saw some good signs where he was waiting on the back foot, and he cut one spinner for four, an off-spinner. And then when he went down charging and trying to hit on the up, he got out. Those are the little things he could avoid.”Story continues below this adBut there is a risk in overthinking the matchup. Give Sooryavanshi a loose ball, and he can quickly put India in control. Manjrekar believed that aggression is what made Sooryavanshi dangerous.“He’s a very dangerous opposition player. He’s not somebody who will hit two fours and two sixes and then take a single for the sake of it. He’ll try and hit one more.”Also Read | Dropping Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has exposed a lack of clarity from Gambhir and IyerSooryavanshi has already played in finals and high-pressure situations this year. The question on Saturday is not whether the occasion is too big for him. It is whether he can once again make another big occasion his own. And this time, the opposition carries its own weight.Live on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV, 10 a.m.