Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid doesn’t want all the attention on 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi after his record-breaking century in the IPL, but having said that, he also knows it is something that he can’t control as well. Having received a lot of questions on Suryavanshi in the Star Sports Press Room on Wednesday, Dravid realised that the talented youngster will have to find a way to handle this attention and stardom.
In the interaction, he said, “I think it won’t be possible to completely sort of avoid him from the experience that is around him. I can’t control what people are talking about him. I have come to this interaction and all I have heard is questions about Vaibhav. It is going to be challenging for him but it is exciting at the same time. I would love to say that we should not shower him with that much attention. Maybe I am being naive as that it is not going to happen. Recognising that it happens and putting a certain level of support around that and navigate that attention and allow him space to be a youngster. It is part of being a cricketer in this country, it is impossible to distance yourself from and (you tend to get) sucked into it.”
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As the India U-19 coach, Rahul Dravid has seen the likes of Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal and many more talented players so far. Asked about Suryavanshi, Dravid shared what makes him special as well.
“For me it is really the ability to have that level of fearlessness and not get fazed by the occasion. You don’t get to see that with people that young. The range of shots he showed. He is only going to get better. Nobody is saying that he is a finished article. No one should rush to call him somebody he is not. Teams will be smarter against him. T20 format is such where he will have games where it will not work out,” he shared.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s six-hitting ability also made headlines. He also cleared the ropes 11 times in his 35-ball century against a strong Gujarat Titans bowling attack as well.
“What gives him power is a good bat speed, high backlift, hand-eye coordination. His judgment of length is something that has amazed me, whether it is fractionally short or full, he can capitalise on that. His natural strength is helpful in this situation,” he added.
“The biggest credit goes to him. It would be wrong of me to take credit for him. He has come through a system (having played first class and India U19. His father has been supportive. Here in Rajasthan Royals, so many people have been involved…he will be asked Dravid questions and he has to give a diplomatic answer. We try to keep it simple with him. For us, it is important that he plays the kind of cricket he enjoys playing…It is pretty obvious he likes to play attacking brand of cricket. We picked him not keeping his age in mind, we were convinced of his talent,” Rahul Dravid concluded.
