West Indies legend Ian Bishop believes Rajasthan Royals’ 14-year-old sensation, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, will need a strong support system around him as he navigates the early spotlight following his historic IPL century.
After smashing a breathtaking 35-ball 100 against Gujarat Titans on April 28 – becoming the youngest player ever to hit a T20 century – Suryavanshi captured the imagination of the cricketing world. His fearless 101 off 37 balls helped RR snap a five-match losing streak with a commanding 8-wicket win over the in-form GT side.
While the cricket world continues to marvel at the teenager’s audacity against seasoned bowlers, Bishop, speaking to ESPNCricinfo, highlighted the challenges ahead. He stressed that with such early success comes inevitable scrutiny – especially if Vaibhav struggles to replicate his heroics in upcoming games.
Bishop also urged Suryavanshi to take inspiration from his former West Indies teammate, Brian Lara, who famously handled failure with poise and resilience throughout his career.
“This is completely new territory for Rahul (Dravid). It’s new territory for his parents too. The level of scrutiny he’s going to face when he plays his next game will be massive. And if he doesn’t score, you know there will be detractors,” Bishop said.
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“Dealing with failure will be so important. One of the greatest guys I ever saw handle failure was Brian Lara. We played with each other from when we were about 14 or 15 years old, and Lara always had the ability to let failure run off his back and move forward to achieve something special,” he added.
“His parents will need to stay very close to him. And I’m sure they are wonderful people. “It’s crucial now to surround him with the right people, especially for the next five years, to ensure that the incredible high he’s reached doesn’t drop, but instead keeps building higher and higher,” he added.
Vaibhav’s IPL journey began when he was picked up for Rs 1.1 crore in the mega auction and later drafted into the playing XI as a replacement for injured skipper Sanju Samson.
From hammering Ishant Sharma for 28 runs in one over to smashing a 90-metre six off Mohammed Siraj with his very first ball faced, Suryavanshi’s fearless display announced him as a prodigy to watch.
As Rajasthan Royals prepare for their next clash against an in-form Mumbai Indians, the focus will inevitably be on whether Suryavanshi can continue his incredible run and handle the pressure that now comes with it.
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