Special talent Suryavanshi has to be nurtured properly

Suryavanshi en route his dazzling hundred.
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Not since Sachin Tendulkar smashed Abdul Qadir for four sixes in an over in an exhibition match against Pakistan, way back in 1989, has many teenaged batters caused as much excitement as Vaibhav Suryavanshi did on a manic Monday night here at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

There may never be another Tendulkar, and one innings does not make a great batter, even if that innings happens to be an astonishing 38-ball 101, and the hundred by the youngest ever batter in the IPL, at the age of 14. But Suryavanshi seems a special talent. He has to be nurtured properly.

He is too good for his age, even for someone older. He generates power, has commendable bat-swing and has a knack to get into the right position quickly to play his shots. And he dares to take on the best of the bowlers.

Rajasthan Royals’ batting coach Vikram Rathour said what the world witnessed during the team’s eight-wicket win against Gujarat Titans was something he and they all had been watching at the nets for the past few months. “We knew what he was capable of and what kind of shots he was capable of playing,” he said. “But to do it in front of this kind of crowd, in a situation like this and against a really, really good bowling attack, it was really special.”

Rathour recalled that everyone was impressed when Suryavanshi came for the trial four months earlier. “All of us knew we found something special,” he said. “Our job was to nurture him and to bring him to this level. A lot of credit to him — he kept his nerve.”

The former India opener said the youngster had a good head on his shoulders. “He showed great temperament,” he said. “Even in his first couple of games, he showed what he was capable of.”