Published: Apr 30, 2025, 06:17 PM (IST)
Edited: Apr 30, 2025, 06:17 PM (IST)
Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach Rahul Dravid doesn’t want too much attention on 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi following his record-breaking hundred in IPL but having said that, he knows that it is something he can’t control either.
Dravid received a lot of questions regarding Suryavanshi in the Star Sports Press Room on Wednesday. Following this, the legendary India cricketer realized that people will not be leaving the 14-year-old alone from now onwards.
“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,” said Dravid when asked about protecting the youngster from the hysteria around him,” Dravid said.
“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,” Dravid added.
The former India head coach, who has nurtured many talents in the role, also explained what made Suryavanshi special.
“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,” Dravid said.
“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,” Dravid added.
