Rajasthan Royals’ 14-year-old prodigy, Vaibhav Suryavanshi took everyone by surprise with his fantastic century against Gujarat Titans. Suryavanshi scored a 35-ball-ton during RR’s eight-wicket win against GT in the IPL 2025 match in Jaipur. It was a historic knock as Suryavanshi became the youngest and the fastest Indian to register a century in the IPL. As the good wishes came in from the all-over the world for the Bihar-born batter, Australia’s legendary cricketer Greg Chappell insisted that BCCI should take certain measures to focus on Suryavanshi’s growth.
Chappell went to compare Suryavanshi’s situation to Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambi’s case and stated that a proper balance should be maintained between success and fame.
“Sachin Tendulkar succeeded as a teenager not simply due to talent but because of a solid support system – a stoic temperament, a wise coach, a family that protected him from the circus. On the other hand, Vinod Kambli, equally talented and perhaps more flamboyant, struggled to balance fame and discipline. His fall was as dramatic as his rise. Prithvi Shaw is another wunderkind who has fallen but may yet find a way back to the pinnacle,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.
“These stories don’t question the ability of youth, but they challenge the wisdom of how that ability is nurtured – or exploited. It is incumbent on the cricketing ecosystem – the BCCI, the franchises, mentors, and the media – to protect him. Talent can’t be bubble-wrapped, but it can be provided a buffer. It must be guided, not glorified; nurtured, not just marketed,” he added.
After the historic ton against GT, the 14-year-old star miserably failed against Mumbai Indians on Thursday as he was dismissed for a two-ball-duck by Deepak Chahar.
In the match against MI, RR lost the match by 100 runs, which led to their elimination from the playoffs race.
RR assistant coach Dishant Yagnik also rubbished claims that batting prodigy Suryavanshi was under pressure during their match against the MI.
“No, I don’t think so (whether Suryavanshi was under pressure). He’s very mature for a 14-year-old. When you’re facing a 140 km/h delivery, the media pressure doesn’t cross your mind. You just try to express yourself with the bat. Sometimes, the same shot that earns you a boundary can also get you out. That’s what happened with Vaibhav today-he mistimed a shot and it went straight to Will Jacks,” Yagnik said during a press conference.
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