Managing Suryavanshi exciting, challenging: Dravid

New Delhi: Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been talk of the town in the cricketing world ever since he blazed his way to becoming the youngest player to hit an IPL century. Playing just his third IPL game, the left-handed opener smacked a whirlwind hundred off just 35 balls for Rajasthan Royals against a quality Gujarat Titans’ bowling line-up to leave the cricketing world jaw-dropped.

The spotlight on Suryavanshi, just 14, also means that Indian cricket ecosystem should have a sensitive and professional approach to ensure his upward trajectory continues and that he becomes an asset for the national team in future. There’s a school of thought which feels that sounds of recent adulation must not distract people around Suryavanshi from the work needed for him to become a long-term success.

Rahul Dravid, the current Rajasthan Royals head coach remarked that the task of managing young Suryavanshi, now the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket, presents both exciting and challenging aspects for Indian cricket, something which he admitted has occupied paramount space in his mind.

“What can we do for Vaibhav? I think it’s going to be challenging. Right just from this very interview I’ve come, every single question I’ve been asked has been about Vaibhav, right? So, I mean, it’s exactly the thoughts that it’s going on in the top of my head that this is going to be challenging for him and for the kid.” “I mean, it’s going to be challenging. But it’s also exciting. I think it’s going to be exciting as well as it’s going to be challenging. I think, again, I would love to say that, maybe we should not shower him with that much attention and that much focus. But maybe I’m being naïve and maybe I’m not being realistic because maybe that is going to happen.”

“So like I said and answered earlier, maybe it’s just a question of putting a bit of a support system around him and trying to help him navigate that as best as he possibly can, because as I can see here, all I’ve heard is questions only about Vaibhav, right?” said Dravid to IANS on the Star Sports Press Room show on Wednesday. Indian cricket has seen instances in the past where young batters have done well in a few innings, but faded away soon due to lack of proper mentorship and not being surrounded by the right people to move in the right direction in their cricketing careers.